Lyrics and brilliant minds
by x.xOracles.Shadowx.x
Summary: A collection of Criminal Minds one shots. Different pairings and characters, all influenced by song lyrics. T for language, may move to M later based on content/ language.
1. ElleGideon  My only love

**AN: Hi, guys! Jeez, you must be getting sick of me. I've been posting like mad the last day or so. =P **

**So, I was struck with a new idea for a series of CM fics: I'm going to do a series of song inspired one shots and group them together in one story. Except for three that I know of, none will be considered in line with my Declan Prentiss series. (Holy crap, it just hit me that I have a _series_.) If I've missed any, I'll be sure to include it in the AN. **

** The pairings will be different for each story, but there will b****e: **

**- (3) HotchReid  
>- (2) JJWill<br>- (1) An Elle character profile  
>- (1) A 3 in 1 story about JJWill, HotchReid, and EmilyRossi (To a Disney song! It's all of my favorite things jammed into one story!)<br>- (1) MorganGarcia  
>- (1) EmilyRossi<br>- (1) EmilyIan (You'll understand when you read it! I promise!)  
>- (1) A character profile of Declan<br>****- (3) ElleGideon  
>- (1) A story of Reid chaperoning Henry's senior prom<br>- (1) A Hotch-Jack family story (Which I am DYING to write!)  
>- (1) A Reid character profile with an appearance of Diana (Jane Lynch is fantastic, but that's neither here nor there.)<br>- (1) A JJ-Reid friendship fic about the fallout from Emily's return  
>- (1) And a Garcia-Team story. <strong>

**So, this is the first one. It's ElleGideon, and it's set to Jennifer Love Hewitt's song, 'My Only Love'. I don't know why but this song just made me think of Gideon sick/ injured and Elle being there. It just built on itself from that. There is also a little humor because of Rossi, and a healthy dose of HotchReid because I don't think it's possible for me to write something without them influencing it. Seriously. I'm addicted.**

**Disclaimer: I own NOTHING. I wish I did, but I don't. Quit mocking me! *cries***

**Enjoy!**

Reid had been sitting on Hotch's couch watching a documentary while Hotch sat beside him and completed some paper work. He hadn't been expecting the phone call that came at eleven o'clock that night from the hospital. As soon as his phone had rung and the doctor on the other end of the line identified himself as a cardiologist from the city hospital, Reid had begun to panic. His first questions had been what had happened, who had been hurt.

When the doctor said that he was calling because Reid was the emergency contact for one Jason Gideon who had just been rushed into the hospital for an emergency angioplasty, even the experienced poker face of Spencer Reid had failed to hide the shock. Hotch took the phone and got the basic information, then the two agents gathered Jack up to drop him off at Jess' because while Reid was still beyond pissed off at Gideon for leaving the way he had, he still felt the same fatherly affection for the man who'd left him high and dry. If Gideon called for him, no matter how angry he still was at the abandonment, Reid couldn't just let him sit in a hospital room alone after almost dying.

On the ride there, Hotch called the team while Reid tried to make sense of everything, and Reid looked so shocked when they arrived at the hospital that no one said anything about how Hotch's hand wouldn't let go of his. The team met them in the hospital entry way, all looking confused and tired but concerned. Morgan looked at how pale and drawn Reid looked, and JJ tried and failed to get some answers from her best friend. Hotch filled in the blank parts of the story for the team, and the young doctor walked up to the receptionist and said who they were there for. The sympathetic looking receptionist nodding, saying that they were expected then given the room number Gideon was being kept in. Reid darted down to the room, and only Hotch had enough time to wonder exactly who had told the receptionist to be expecting them.

When Reid ran into the room, unstable emotions playing across his face, more shock filtered through when he saw the one and only Elle Greenaway sitting by Gideon's side, her hand clasping the elder agent's.

"Elle?", Reid asked, and when he saw the tears that were on Elle's face, he felt himself sway. Hotch steadied him, his own surprise stamped clearly on his face. Elle sniffled, then wiped the tears from her eyes and turned to look at them.

"I was wondering when you would show up. He told me how angry you probably were with him, but I knew he wanted you here, Reid.", Elle explained.

"I don't understand.", was Reid's only answer. "I thought you left. You didn't even say goodbye, to him or to any of us. Why are you here?"

Elle turned back to the unconscious Gideon, a sad smile on her face. She looked so different from when he'd last seen her; instead of the anger he'd seen in her every feature, there was a quiet peacefulness. While before her outward appearance reflected the turmoil she felt inside, now it reflected a stability that Reid hadn't seen in her since before the Fisher King. A ring sat on her left ring finger, and to Reid's shock there was a matching one on Gideon.

"He found me after he left.", Elle explained. "I don't know how he tracked me down, or even if he was looking for me to begin with, but he found me."

"Where were you?", Morgan asked, hurt in his eyes as he looked at the woman who'd been as good as his sister for the better part of four years.

"I was working in New York as a private investigator and counselor when he walked into my office, beaten down into someone I wouldn't have recognized as the Gideon I knew if he hadn't spoken to me. He was so tired when I saw him, there was nothing left of the man he had been, or if there was I couldn't see it. I couldn't believe it; this was what the great Jason Gideon had been reduced to?"

"When was this?", Hotch asked.

"Two years ago, or a little longer. It took me almost a year to get him to tell me what had happened to Sarah, and another month to get him to talk to me about it. He told me he just couldn't do it anymore, that the team was better off with Rossi as their leader because Gideon couldn't feel his own pain anymore so he knew he needed to leave.", Elle told them, nodding to the shocked looking profiler who stood beside the woman she'd heard had replaced her. "He was so sorry he left you like he did, Reid, but he couldn't handle being strong for himself just then, so there was no way he could help you. He drove back every month to check on you, you know? You and the team. When I found out, he asked me if I wanted to come back with him. I said I couldn't get the time off work but I think he knew I had moved on, and that I was afraid to see you all again."

"And you two are together?", Reid asked, seeing the matching rings. Elle laughed and kissed Gideon's hand.

"Six months ago last week. He'd been living in my guest room for the last year and a half as strictly friends and old co-workers while he looked for a place of his own. He knew I wished we were more, but he was still so hurt so I didn't push. One weekend, I woke up to a note on the fridge saying he'd be back by Monday morning, that he had some thinking to do. That usually meant he had gone to check on you. When he came back, something about him had changed. It was like he was alive again, almost happy. He told me that he was done living with what had happened. Then he said that he wanted us to give a relationship a shot and I said yes. Four months in, I knew I was still in love with him so I asked him to marry me.", Elle remembered, smiling as she thought back.

"'Still'?, Reid asked.

"I had a crush on him when I was still in sex crimes. The great Jason Gideon, profiler extraordinaire. Don't look at me like that, Hotch. You knew it as well as I did when I walked into the BAU with him that first time.", Elle mandated, looking at Hotch.

"I knew you admired him.", was Hotch's only answer. She shrugged.

"Then it was just hero worship, he was everything I thought I wanted to be. When he took an interest in me and got me into the BAU, it became a pathetic case of puppy love. I think he knew; he could always see right through me, but he never said anything.", Elle told them, a slight smile as she ran her fingers across Gideon's hand. "Then after the Fisher King, things... things got really bad. Reid, you saw the state I was in. Jason did everything he could to help, and we did somethings we probably shouldn't have, considering he knew better and I knew I was emotionally fractured. The only time I wasn't self destructive was when I was with him, and just before William Lee, I realized I was in love with my boss. When that entire situation happened, I couldn't... I'd just left Gideon to go confront a rapist I'd let walk, and then when we came back, I couldn't even face him. I ran."

"And then he found you after he ran.", Reid finished softly, looking at his old mentor. "What happened to him? And did you get them to call me, Elle?"

"I did." She nodded. "He was always talking about you, Reid. I couldn't count how many times a day he checked Google just to make sure you were okay, to make sure nothing had happened to you. When he said he was having pains in his chest during our evening walk, I knew something was wrong so I browbeat him into letting me take him to the hospital. We were only in the car maybe ten minutes when he said his left arm had gone numb. I broke at least fourteen different traffic laws doing it but I got him to the hospital with just enough time for the doctors to help him. Before they carted him off to surgery, he told me to call you. He said that if... if he died, he wanted me to tell you how very sorry he was for letting you down, Reid."

JJ wrapped her arms around Reid's waist as the doctor went as pale as the bedsheets Gideon lay on. Hotch put his hand on his shoulder, letting JJ give his significant other the comfort he needed. "What have the doctors said? Will he be alright?", Hotch asked, seeing that Reid was in no shape to ask anymore questions.

Elle nodded. "They say he'll be fine. They had to clear out an eighty percent blockage, but he'll be okay after some rest." She smiled at JJ and Reid. "JJ, Gideon told me about Henry. He's been keeping an eye on all of you, and said that's a beautiful little boy you've got."

JJ looked ready to cry but nodded, her head resting against the plane of Reid's back. "You're both welcome to come visit him, and you can meet Will.", JJ choked out, tears in her eyes. She'd missed them both so much, but understood that Spence needed her support right then, and that that was more important than giving Elle and Gideon her forgiveness just then. Elle seemed to understand and smiled, then turned her eyes on Hotch, who was watching Reid with unhidden concern shining in his eyes.

"You finally told him, huh?", she asked the SSAIC. Hotch turned to her in confusion.

"Excuse me?", he asked.

"Reid. You finally told him how you felt.", Elle stated, laughing at the surprise on Hotch's face. "Oh, please. Hotch, you were about as obvious as I was with Jason. Frankly, I'm surprised it took you that long. I thought you were braver than that." Hotch scowled good naturedly at the dig, then looked at Gideon in concern.

"Does he know?", Hotch asked.

"She had to hide my car keys and make me swear on her engagement ring that I wouldn't drive to DC and punch you right in the face for taking advantage of Spencer, Hotch.", a raspy voice spoke up, and Elle's eyes went bright as she looked at the newly conscious Jason Gideon, who had a drugged looking but relaxed smile on his face. Gideon's eyes went over his old team, then focused on the distraught face of Spencer Reid. "Spencer. You came."

"You were in the hospital.", was all Reid said.

"I didn't think you'd come. I'm glad you did, though."

"I'm still angry with you beyond reason, but of course I came.", Reid choked out, looking like he was fighting back tears. He cleared his throat. "I - I didn't know I was your emergency contact."

"Technically Elle is, but I didn't know if I was going to make it, so I wanted you to know how sorry I was, Spencer. I know it doesn't mean much, but I am so very, very sorry for leaving you.", Gideon rasped out.

"You couldn't have told me without almost dying? A little dramatic, don't you think?", Reid hiccuped, a watery smile on his face. "How am I supposed to forgive you if you're dead, Gideon?"

"Can you forgive me for abandoning you?", Gideon asked, and there was a new hope in his eye. Reid bit his lip in thought, then looked at Hotch, who looked steadily back at him.

"In time, yes. I'm still so angry with you, Gideon, but I don't hate you. I know your reasons for leaving, and while I don't agree with them, I can understand them. So yes, I can forgive you.", Reid told him, then his face went blank as Hotch's hand clasped his. "But, you've got to promise that you won't accuse Hotch of taking advantage of me ever again. We're both consenting adults and what goes on between us is our business, not yours or anyone else."

"Can we talk about it when I'm not hooked up to a heart monitor? And for what it's worth, I'm happy for you both. Seeing you two together was what made me realize that I could move on after Sarah and be happy with my life. That I could be happy with Elle.", Gideon replied, his hand squeezing Elle's as she smiled through the tears of relief in her eyes.

"If you ever scare me like that again, Jason, I, for one, will never forgive you.", Elle told him, but the smile on her face and immense love in her eyes towards their old lead profiler contradicted the statement. "Why didn't you tell me you'd been having chest pains for a week before this?"

"You had enough to do with planning the wedding. I didn't want you to worry.", Gideon shrugged. "I thought it was nothing."

"Because clearly I wouldn't worry when I'm driving through red lights in rush hour DC traffic and you're telling me that the left side of your body is slowly going numb!", Elle exclaimed with a roll of her eyes. She muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, 'Men!', but didn't elaborate. She just settled for glaring in exasperation at her fiance.

"When are you getting married?", Reid asked.

"This summer, we're thinking June.", Elle explained. Hotch went rigid; the bombing that had driven Gideon into a nervous breakdown happened in June. "That is, if I can keep you alive until then!"

"That's so soon.", JJ commented.

"I'll be fine, you heard the doctor.", Gideon denied, moving his hand as if to physically sweep the concern aside. "We wanted to get it done as soon as possible, figured we'd wasted enough time being apart and didn't need a long engagement. We already knew the worst there was about each other. And we were thinking it would be a quiet ceremony, just family and friends."

"We were thinking of sending your invitations in the mail, but we didn't know how to go about giving you a heads up.", Elle explained, her eyes worried. "We didn't know if you'd even want to attend, after everything."

"We'd love to.", Reid answered, his voice rough. "Where were you thinking of having it?"

"I wanted New York, Jason wanted Los Angeles. We settled for Vermont.", Elle laughed.

"I had to come up with a laundry list of reasons why getting married in New York was a bad idea, and wound up convincing her by saying that everyone wanted to get married in New York, and that if we wanted to follow the trend, we might as well skip the whole ordeal and elope to Vegas.", Gideon continued.

"You can imagine how impressed I was.", Elle said to them with a roll of her eyes that brought smiles to the group that was with them. She turned to the still sleepy but smiling tech analyst who stood by Morgan near the door of the room. "Garcia, I might need some help with the decorating side of things. Would it be too much trouble-"

"Sugar, if tracking down psychopaths by the tips of my fingers is no trouble, decorating the wedding of two people I love would be an absolute joy.", Garcia assured her quickly, a bright smile on her face. "I'm your girl, Elle. Tell me what you want and it will be done."

"Are you going to be ready for a wedding though, Gideon? Summer's not that far off.", Morgan asked while Elle and Garcia discussed venues for receptions.

"If I have to drag myself to the alter in my hospital bed, I will be ready.", Gideon told him, sounding determined. "However, I do a favor to ask you, Spencer and Hotch."

"What is it?", Hotch asked.

"I was hoping, Hotch, that you three would be my best men. I can't think of anyone else I'd want with me." The three in question looked floored at the request, but Reid broke into a genuine smile.

"I -"

"Hey, no fair!", Elle protested. "I wanted Morgan, Jason! You can have Hotch and Reid."

"Wanted me for what...?", Morgan asked, looking confused. Elle flashed him a teasing grin and Garcia cackled at the quick worried look Morgan sent to Gideon, who just laughed.

Elle smiled, then said reassuringly, "I wanted you to walk me down the aisle, Morgan, relax. Since my dad isn't able to, I wanted someone who's like my brother to give me away. What'd you say?"

Morgan smiled at her, then gave her a half hug. "I'd be honored to, Elle. Just don't scare me like that again, woman! Your man is hooked up to a heart monitor and he could still probably kill me."

"No 'probably' about it.", Gideon muttered, making Hotch grin at him. Gideon looked to where Emily and Rossi stood, then smiled. "Dave, Emily. Come on, take a seat. I haven't seen either of you in so long."

"Considering the last time we spoke, you call me a fool with deluded fantasies of law enforcement, I figured you wouldn't want to see me.", Rossi commented with no real heat in the reply. Gideon shrugged, receiving a careful hug from Emily then shaking hands with the other profiler.

"Well, you were wrong. Emily, you look beautiful. I see you're keeping Rossi in line.", Gideon replied, then laughed at the surprise and embarrassment that filled both Rossi and Emily's faces, as well as the bewilderment on the faces of the other team members. "What? You didn't know they were together?"

"How did you know? We've only been here five minutes!", Rossi demanded, then pointed at Hotch, who looked like he was gearing up for a lecture. "Oh no, Mr. I'm-Totally-Dating-My-Subordinate, don't you even start with me. Now how the hell did you know, Gideon?"

"I have eyes.", Gideon offered smugly. "Face it, Rossi. I can read you like a book."

Dave's face turned almost purple and Hotch rolled his eyes, knowing there was going to be a very loud argument sometime soon. He moved between them, unconsciously walking closer to Spencer, who was smirking at him.

"Well now, if we're having a reunion, should I call Max Ryan to come up here?", Hotch asked. Both Gideon and Rossi rounded on him with a sound, 'NO!', then returned to glaring at each other. Elle laughed, shaking her head, then held her hand out to Emily.

"Elle Greenaway.", she greeted. Emily smiled then shook her hand.

"Emily Prentiss. I've heard a lot about you.", Emily responded while Gideon and Rossi continued to argue. What they argued about was a mystery to everyone else in the room, but Hotch gave up trying to referee them.

"And I, you. Dating a profiler isn't easy, is it?", Elle asked when Emily sat next her. Emily gave a scoff, then turned fond eyes onto Rossi, who was being reprimanded along with Gideon by JJ for shouting in a hospital. When JJ ended her rant, the two were silent except for sniping remarks they shot at each other.

"I imagine being engaged to one isn't a walk in the park either.", Emily acknowledged.

"No, but it has it's bright spots. Few and far between as they may be." Elle's eyes shot to Gideon when she heard he and Rossi get into the precursor to another argument. "Jason, for heaven's sake, you're in a hospital bed! You're supposed to be resting!"

"Dave, you're not helping! Knock it off!", Emily added, and the two brunettes gave the other exasperated looks while their significant others shared a look of horror at the combined force of Emily and Elle. Hotch and Morgan gave the two veterans looks of sympathy but elected to stay far, far out of it. JJ and Garcia were laughing hysterically at the scandalized look Rossi wore, and Reid was laughing into Hotch's shoulder.

"Can't take them anywhere.", Elle sighed, rubbing her forehead.

"I hear you.", Emily agreed. Reid looked at the two women, then smiled at Hotch. Gideon and Rossi decided that for both their sakes, they would stop their rivalry, and Gideon sent Spencer a smile from where he lay. Reid returned it, then felt Hotch take his hand. Nothing was fixed, not by a long shot. But, his family was back together. It was a start.

**AN: That's it, guys. Hope you liked it! **

**Here are the parts of the song that just got to me for this particular story: **

_Deep in my soul_  
><em>The love so strong<em>  
><em>It takes control<em>  
><em>Love we both know<em>  
><em>The secrets there<em>  
><em>The feelings shows<em>

_You've reach the deepest part_  
><em>Of the secret in my heart<em>  
><em>You've known it from the start<em>  
><em>My only love<em>

**I found the lyrics online and I think some of them might be wrong, but the basic idea is there. No idea why, but there you have it. I'm going to get to work on the next one, and I think it will be one of the ones that falls in line with my Declan Prentiss series. (Hint: It will be ReidHotch. See AN above. I told you, I'm addicted to them!)**

**Thanks for reading, and as always, any questions, comments or concerns, let me know. =) **

**As always, much love,  
>Oracle. (L) <strong>


	2. HotchReid Right kind of wrong

**AN: Happy Canadian Turkey Day/ Long Weekend, guys!**

**So, this is the second in my series of song inspired stories, and it is a ReidHotch because this song just screamed them to me. The song is 'Right kind of wrong' by Leann Rimes and for some reason, this inspired me to write this. (I've learned not to question the way my muses work anymore, I just go with them.)**

**I really like this one, but I fully admit that I'm not sure about the whole 'Hotch's dad abusing him thing'. It seemed to be heavily implied in his conversations with his brother, and with his dealings with the Reaper. My heart broke for Hotch, so I hope that translates well in this. I don't know how Haley's funeral went, so if I got it totally wrong, forgive me. I just wrote it as I thought it would happen. (Except the appearance of Morgan's mom and sisters. I don't even know where they came from, they just wrote themselves in.) **

**I think that's it, so I hope you guys enjoy this second story! =) I would suggest giving the song a listen while you read this, it might make more sense. Plus, the song is just awesome. =)**

**Disclaimer: Believe me, if I owned them, I wouldn't be a broke university student, and Reid and Hotch would have the ratings going haywire. Clearly I don't own Leann Rimes (that would be creepy.), and I don't own the song because I'm not that crazy talented.**

Everyone at the BAU knew of Chief Strauss' grudge against Hotch. Most ignored it (except Rossi, who took every opportunity to mention it, just to make things awkward.), including Spencer Reid. He managed to ignore it until time came for him to sit in Strauss' office and give a profile on Hotch. When he showed his teeth under the prodding of his superior, no one saw it coming. He couldn't say what had caused the snap, except that his team – his family – had been through so much in the few weeks before that he couldn't control himself.

No one could blame him. In the aftermath of Foyet's attack, when Hotch came into work with tired and swollen eyes, when Garcia couldn't stop herself from choking up at the mention of Haley or Jack, when Rossi and Morgan followed Hotch's movements like hawks as they walked around the BAU, no one was paying much attention to anything other than Hotch and the present case. Everyone was so focused on making sure Hotch didn't fall apart that no one saw the way Reid tensed whenever Strauss entered the room, no one noticed how his face went blank when anyone mentioned the mandatory disciplinary measures taken against Hotch for his part in the death of George Foyet.

The tense energy ended up surrounding Reid up until the day of Haley's funeral, and when the blow up soon followed, the general consensus was that hind sight really was 20/20. Gideon would have spotted it coming a mile away because as much as he cared about Hotch, Spencer was and always would be his priority. But Gideon wasn't there and no one noticed the pure hostility in Reid's stance from where he stood between Hotch, Jack and Strauss at Haley's funeral.

The group seemed so much more massive to Reid than it really was. In reality it was the team and their families, but to Reid it seemed like the entire world was bearing witness to Hotch's suffering. JJ was standing with Emily and Haley's sister Jessica behind them, Garcia was crying quietly on Morgan's shoulder beside them, and Reid and Rossi flanked Hotch and his son where they stood in front of Haley's grave. Strauss was on Reid's other side, and only the grief that was pouring off of Hotch kept the animosity the genius was drowning in at bay.

On the other side of the open grave, Will was holding the sleeping Henry, and beside him were Derek's mother and two sisters, as well as Kevin, and Jessica's husband and kids. Flowers were at the head of the grave and Reid knew without reading the tag that they'd been sent by Gideon and Elle. The entirety of his team and their families had come to help Hotch through this, and even though he was completely focused on his crying son, Reid knew Hotch would appreciate the sentiment.

The young genius' head quickly flicked back and saw Hotch's brother and mom standing behind him, both crying but neither touching the SSA. Sean looked torn, and his hands kept fidgeting, which showed Spencer that the younger Hotchner wanted to reach out to help his brother but didn't know how. Their mother was crying silently, and she looked at Hotch with wide, tear filled eyes.

Sudden movement beside him made Reid turn his attention back to Hotch, and saw that his boss had fallen to his knees and was holding his crying son to his chest. Jessica didn't have a chance to run to her brother in law's side; Rossi and Reid kneeled down quicker than she could move. Rossi's hand seemed to grip onto Hotch's shoulder and he rested his forehead against his best friend's shoulder, unable to form the words of condolence that he knew he should say. Hotch's shoulders were shaking and tears were slipping from his eyes and into his son's hair, and something about that made something deep in Reid's chest ache. This was his boss, his friend, in obvious, terrible pain. Pain that had forced Aaron Hotchner, the man who could make unsubs shake with a single glare, to his knees. He thought back to Hotch pulling him from his own grave and he knew he couldn't stand seeing this man bending under the weight of that grief for one single second longer.

The priest was preforming the final rites, the words washing over Reid as he briefly considered what he was about to do. He knew Jack and Jess were there, he knew Strauss and the entire BAU were there, he knew his family was all around him and would see what he was about to do, and he knew that this could damn his career before he could blink. He went to his knees next to Hotch and put one arm around the SSA, resting his forehead against Hotch's shoulder, while his free hand clutched Hotch's wrist. When the older man's shaking stopped, he didn't care if God himself could see.

After the flowers had been taken back to Hotch's apartment and Jack had been bundled into Jess' car to go to her place for the night, the team and their families went back to Hotch's apartment. Reid wound up sitting on the couch, his cane next to him, while the team stood near by. Garcia was trying to keep busy and stop herself from crying by arranging the flowers all over Hotch's apartment, and no one tried to stop her. They were all too numb with grief. Haley and Hotch may've been divorced, but for the team, she was still a part of Hotch and now that part of him was gone.

Hotch walked into the living room after hanging his coat and sat next to Reid on the couch, then rubbed his eyes tiredly. The SSAIC sighed, then sat back on the couch. "Thank God that's over.", he sighed quietly. Rossi hovered nearby, his hand resting on the table top directly behind Emily.

"You might not want to hear this, Hotch, but that was the easy part.", Rossi told him gently, and no one noticed his hand resting on the small of Emily's back while she sat at the table and wiped tears from her eyes.

"I know. I just can't think about that, Dave.", Hotch told him. "Right now, I'm focusing on Jack. He's alive and safe and for now, that's good enough. I just... God. How could I... Haley..." Hotch's voice choked in his throat, and again, Reid grabbed his hand.

"There was nothing you could have done, Hotch. I'm sorry, I hate to say this but it's true.", Reid told him.

"I should have been able to save her. That's what I'm trained for, to protect people." Hotch's voice wavered as he spoke. "Jack is going to remember this, he'll remember that his dad the superhero lost mommy, and someday, he's going to ask me why I couldn't save her, Reid..."

"And he'll know that you did everything you could to save them both.", Reid insisted. "He'll never forget Haley, Hotch. She's his mom, he's always going to miss her. But he can also remember this as a time when his dad did everything he could to keep life as normal as possible. His life didn't end with Haley's death, Hotch. He's still here, alive, and he needs his dad to be strong more than ever."

"I'm exhausted, Reid.", Hotch sighed, and even his voice sounded bone tired. "I don't know if I can be strong for this."

"How long have we worked together, Hotch?", Reid asked suddenly.

"Almost seven years. I don't see what-"

"Exactly. We've worked together for six years, four months and fifteen days, and I've seen you fight everything from homicidal psychopaths to kidnappers. Even when you're at your weakest, you're the strongest person I've ever met and I trust you with my life. You want to know why?"

"Why?"

"Because you give everything you've got to make sure that your family, the people you care about, are safe. I would be dead right now if not for you, Hotch. You keep people safe. That's why you're Jack's hero, because he may not realize it but he knows you're always going to keep him safe."

In his right mind, Hotch would've known that this was what Reid said to survivors, but right then, he couldn't bring himself to care. "Maybe before, but now.. I couldn't save Haley, even after everything I did, every precaution I took. She still died."

"Because of a psycho that wanted to destroy you, Hotch. You didn't give him what he wanted, you beat him.", JJ reminded you, standing with Will's arm around her shoulders. "You stopped him and that made him take a shot at what matters most to you."

"How am I supposed to do this job when I know that every psycho I don't beat to death on my living room floor could come back and hurt the people I love? How am I supposed to protect my son and my family?"

"That's just it, Hotch. You make it sound like you've got to do this all by yourself when you don't.", Garcia told him. "We're a family, okay, and that means that Jack is ours to protect just as much as you are. That's what families do. You're not alone in this."

"She's right, you know. Come hell or high water, we've always got you and your son covered.", Morgan told him firmly. "I'm just so, so sorry we couldn't protect Haley."

"Haley knew she was going to die. She knew it and I knew it but I knew if I couldn't save her, then the only thing I could do for her would be to save Jack. We both knew I couldn't protect her, but I could get Jack out of there and to safety until I got there.", Hotch remembered, seeming to sink further into the black leather of his couch. "That son of a bitch Foyet was not going to take my son from me. But what if I can't protect him the next time? What if the next Reaper succeeds in keeping me from my son?"

"You can't think like that, Hotch, otherwise this job will eat you alive.", Reid spoke up gently. "Focus on getting through today. You're alive, Jack is alive, and you've got an apartment full of people here who care about you. Focus on that and worry about tomorrow when it happens."

"Gideon once told me that there's nothing we can do to prepare for the future, that all we can do is face it when it comes. If he was here, I'd bet he'd tell you the same thing.", JJ explained, Will's arm around her as she held Henry.

Hotch didn't reply, just put his free hand over his eyes while the one Reid held gripped tighter to his. The young genius recognized the pain that spread over his face, and sent the team a look. "Hotch, maybe you should go get some rest. We can clean up here and let ourselves out.", Reid offered. Hotch shook his head and released Reid's hand, then stood up.

"No, if I sleep I'll just see it all again and be in worse shape than I am now. I need a coffee, anyone else want anything?", Hotch asked.

"Tea would be great. I'll give you a hand.", Reid agreed, standing with his cane.

He followed Hotch into the kitchen, able to remember the requests made by the people in the living room. Moments later Garcia, Emily and JJ followed them into the kitchen and began to make sandwiches. They worked in sync with the girls chatting about anything that came to mind while Reid and Hotch listened in silence. Mrs. Morgan joined them, saying that she couldn't just sit around and do nothing, and helped make up trays of sandwiches from the cold cuts in Hotch's fridge.

Hotch and Reid exchanged a look of slight amusement, and both knew the other was thinking that when tragedy strikes, the instant fall back was to offer support and bring food – Basic comforts. They probably didn't even realize they were doing that, but Reid was glad. JJ and Emily were discussing a movie from some animation company that JJ was considering buying for Henry, and Garcia and Mrs. Morgan got into a deep discussion of Derek's love life, or lack thereof.

The two males in the room remained quiet, going through the process of boiling water and making tea, coffee and hot chocolate. After the snacks and drinks were finished, Hotch looked away for a split second only to turn back and find that his mug of coffee had been replaced with one of herbal tea. He looked up at Reid in confusion and got a knowing smirk from the genius, then rolled his eyes while Emily and JJ helped Reid carry the drinks out while Garcia and Mrs. Morgan covered the food. Hotch could only laugh before taking a sip of the tea, accepting the inevitable. He knew, and so did Reid apparently, that he wanted the coffee, but needed to sleep.

The group spent the next two hours with Hotch, chatting in his living room about nothing in particular and simultaneously making sure Hotch wasn't going to break down. When they (particularly Garcia) was sure that he would be alright on his own, Hotch showed his guests out. He closed the door after saying goodbye to JJ, Will and Henry, then walked into the living room to find Reid pulling his coat on, a bag of sandwiches on the table next to him.

The genius knew instinctively that someone was watching him and turned, smiling slightly at Hotch. "Hey.", Reid greeted, throwing his scarf around his neck while his cane rested against the couch beside him. "I was just leaving."

"No rush, I was just coming out here to watch tv.", Hotch answered.

"Well, I won't keep you. Just make sure you get some rest, Hotch. See you tomorrow?", Reid asked, hobbling to the door. Hotch opened it for him.

"I'm taking the next week off, actually. I want to spend some time with Jack before going back to work.", Hotch replied. "But, I'll be in the following Monday morning."

"Good, you need the rest. You've got some serious recovering to do.", Reid agreed. "Enjoy the time off and give Jack and Jess our best, alright? And at least try to smile, Hotch."

"I make no promises.", Hotch answered but felt a slight smile tugging at his mouth. "Thank you, Reid."

"What for?", the young genius asked, looking genuinely puzzled.

"For being there for Jack and I at the funeral. You didn't need to but it meant a lot. I'm glad you were all there."

A soft smile lit up Reid's face. "Yes I had to, Hotch. You heard Garcia, we're family. No one likes seeing their loved ones in pain. I just wish I could have done more."

"Only Haley coming back would stop this pain, but thanks. Good night, Reid."

"Good night, Hotch. And listen. If you need anything at all, call me alright? I have some experience with nightmares." The doctor left the question hanging and walked out before Hotch could reply, leaving the SSA standing in the open doorway.

The following morning, Reid wasn't surprised when he was called in to see Strauss. He limped into her office without preamble, knowing this was going to be bad and fully expecting to be fired for his indiscretion at Haley's funeral. What he was not expecting, however, was her handing him an order to write up an in-depth psychological evaluation on Hotch. When he read the purpose of the evaluation, his heart stopped: To determine if Hotch was still fit to keep his job.

Shock was the first emotion he felt – Hotch had just lost his wife, almost losing his son in the process, after being stalked and attacked by an escaped psychopath. Of course he wasn't okay! And he'd been at the funeral, seen the grief first hand. There was no way he could be objective about this when his mind was still so full of it. Then the anger came over him in waves. In that moment, he understood why Gideon had left when he'd lost his objectivity. It made you unsteady, and with one leg partially out of commission, Reid needed all the stability he could muster.

The doctor threw the folder containing his boss' entire life history back onto Strauss' desk and leveled the woman with a glare. She looked at him in surprise, and in the ensuing stare off, neither of them noticed that the folder had switched on Strauss' intercom.

"Is something wrong, agent Reid?", Strauss asked. Reid visibly seethed.

"You unimaginably cold woman.", he hissed. "You seriously expect me to write a review on Hotch's psychological state? Right now? After everything he's been through? Are you kidding me?"

"I am not kidding, agent Reid. Agent Hotchner is a fine agent but if he's to continue working here, we need to ascertain whether or not he will be able to meet his previous exemplary standards.", Strauss explained. "After an event such as the one he's been through, it's procedure -"

"To do an evaluation to see if treatment or grief counseling is necessary.", Reid cut off. "Yes, I remember. Eidetic memory. I went through the same thing after Tobias Hankel, I know the procedure. This-" He held up the file folder. "This is nothing but a smear campaign in the making! Do you really hate Hotch this much?"

"This is procedure, agent Reid. If you don't feel able to write it, I can easily have someone else do the evaluation. I just assumed that, since you work so closely with agent Hotchner, it would be more viable being written by someone who knows him."

Reid knew an ultimatum when he heard one, and he bristled. "Ma'am, I don't agree with this. There is no way Hotch is fit for a psych eval right now, he's still raw and hurting and making sense of everything that's happened. Is there no way whatsoever that this can be put off until he's got himself back on stable ground?" Reid knew the chances, but figured it didn't hurt to ask.

"I'm sorry, agent, but the review board is demanding he be evaluated now. I agree that the timing could have been a touch better, but they're under the impression that Agent Hotchner is in need of a review immediately, if not sooner." She even managed to look remorseful, which was impressive.

Reid wasn't sure when he decided to abandon common sense, but he assumed it was right around the time when he glanced from the folder on Strauss' desk to the woman herself. He was livid.

"Alright, ma'am. I know Hotch's record already, there's no need for a review.", Reid told her, thankful for his eidetic memory. "Hotch came from a broken family life. An emotionally and psychologically abusive father, a mentally absent mother and a rebellious younger brother who could do no wrong were what Hotch called his family in the early years of his life. From a young age, he needed to be the responsible one, needed to fight against constant disapproval from his father to prove that he was a good, worthy man. The result of this caused Hotch to grow up entirely too quickly, never having the chance to experience childhood like his brother was. It also left him with anger issues that he struggles with to this day because they've been a part of him for so long. He's so focused on keeping that part of himself tightly locked down that he alienates himself by putting up walls of steel around himself. He doesn't mean to, he just doesn't know any other way of managing the pent up anger and resentment.

When their father died, Hotch still needed to be the responsible one because he had his infant brother to care for, as well as his mother who was leaning on him as the man of the family. This led directly to Hotch becoming an alpha male persona; in charge, solid, dependable through thick and thin, and utterly dedicated to the people he cares about but completely self depreciating. He tries to be strong for everyone else to lean on because that's what his job has always been. First with Sean, then his mother and Sean, and now our team. He wants to be strong because he's terrified that the minute he lets his guard down, we'll get hurt. He's going through the same thing right now; beating himself up inside for what happened to Haley and his idea that he couldn't protect her.

He loves and despises his father and the memories he has of him, and keeps his mother at arm's length because, even though he loves her, a part of him still resents her for not being there and not stopping his father's abuse. The only one of his original family that he has any kind of real connection with is his younger brother because Hotch still considers him his baby brother and in need of protecting, even though they're both grown men.

After meeting Haley in high school and coming to terms with what his father had done, Hotch began to open up and thanks entirely to Haley, he learned how to laugh and get control of the darkness and anger inspired by his father. She helped him get a grip on himself and because of that, he grew as a person and flourished in high school and college, later entering law school. This speaks to his deeply ingrained sense of justice and his desire to protect people by using the one tool he had at his disposal; the law. It was immutable, and some part of him registered that no one was above the law, so he could use it to help others. He wanted to protect people the way no one had protected him. When you get down to it, Hotch is a protector. He can't help it, it's who he is.

After getting his degree and practicing law, he became a prosecutor, and according to statistics, was the best in the DC area. This was because he didn't allow someone's background to influence what his decision would be – He made it based on logic, and on his own sense of fairness. He was able to see through the gray areas of the law and reach a resolution. Over time though, that wasn't enough. He realized that he was dealing in the clean up of crimes and not the prevention of them. This didn't sit well with the protector part of him, and he sought other venues, eventually settling on the BAU.

When he joined the team, he found friends in David Rossi and Gideon and Max Ryan, and with our team, he's found a family. JJ, Emily, Garcia and Elle are and were like his sisters and he would take a bullet for any of them. Morgan is a representation of Sean, an ever present prod to the big brother in him. Rossi is the father figure and friend that he didn't have growing up, often acting as a mentor for him because as great a profiler as Hotch is, he's not perfect and even he needs guidance sometimes. And me, well, as far as I can see, Hotch wants to protect me because his instinctive response is to protect those he perceives as weaker than him. It's not meant as an insult; if he didn't care, he wouldn't try to protect us at all. He would just let us go about our business.

We've come a long way in helping him deal with his anger, but the arrival of Jack was the turning point for him. The cases he saw still affected him – He still wanted to make the men who'd hurt their kids or beat their wives pay in the worst way, but what good, upstanding individual wouldn't? But, he was able to go home to Haley and their son and he was able to lock that part of himself away, was able to lean on Haley so his son could see him as he was, not as the job was making him.

When he became SSAIC, he found a source for his natural protectiveness. He was able to keep an eye on all of us because it was his job, so he could literally do everything in his power to protect his wife, son and team. He would throw himself in front of a bus for any of us because he loves us and wants to protect us. Even still, knowing what he knew, he tried to keep Haley and Baby Jack away from his life at the BAU for the most part because he was afraid they would get hurt or see the darkness that he tries so hard to hide. He still brought Haley and Jack in in the days after he was born so we could meet him though, because whether Hotch will admit it or not, we're family.

On cases, he always tries to remain objective, but he always gives all of himself to finding the unsub. Even I couldn't count how many times I've walked into whatever office we've occupied to find Hotch passed out under a profile map, pages of written ideas and notes spread out in front of him. And the victims and their families, even with his gruff demeanor, they're drawn to him. They just know that he's there to protect them and get justice for them. They know he actually cares about finding the people who'd hurt them."

Reid paused, letting that elaborate profile sink in for Strauss, who was looking at him with wide eyes from across her desk. She cleared her throat, then said, "Agent Reid, that's a very in depth profile of Agent Hotchner, but what the board is concerned with is whether or not he'll be able to recover from the attack of George Foyet."

"He's hurting, ma'am.", Reid told her bluntly. "Foyet took away his best friend since high school, a woman that he may not have been married to any longer but still loved dearly. He's in so much pain right now, but I know Hotch, and he will get better. He will grow from this and he'll be a better agent because he will want to make sure that no other child has to bury their mother. He's not okay right now, but he will be."

"Agent Reid, in your honest opinion, do you think Agent Hotchner is fit for his post as Supervisory Special Agent In Charge of your unit?", Strauss asked. Reid didn't even need to think that question entirely through.

"Yes. Hotch is the best man for this job, this team, and the BAU. You will never find a man more suited for it, and if you can't see that then to be quite honest ma'am, you're blind.", Reid replied honestly. He knew he'd never respect another unit chief the same as he did Hotch. Not Morgan, not Rossi, not even Gideon.

Strauss looked stunned where she sat, and Reid was sure that under any other circumstances, he would count that as a win and go brag to Morgan about it. Just then though, he felt sick. His profile could cost Hotch his job, though he knew logically that they had no basis for it. Hotch was the best; anyone with eyes could see that.

"That's quite the impassioned profile, Doctor Reid.", Strauss repeated. Reid noted that in her shock, she'd begun calling him doctor. He was fine with that; the more distance he had from his official capacity as an FBI agent, the more honest he felt compelled to be.

"And every word of it is true. I'd trust my life to Hotch any day of the week, and I challenge you to find someone who will say otherwise." The 'other than you' was silent but strongly implied. "What happened to Hotch was a tragedy and if there was anything I could give to bring Haley back to life, if it was anything other my godson, I would give it up in a heart beat. But, he can and will get better. It will take time, and he'll need his family and his friends, but he will get through it. And, if you end this ridiculous vendetta against him, I guarantee you will see Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner come back better than ever, and thousands of lives will be saved because of it."

"I see. I'll take what you've said into consideration, Dr. Reid.", Strauss told him slowly, gathering the folder from her desk. A look of alarm flew across her face and Reid would kick himself later for not realizing it at the time, but right then he considered it irrelevant. His boss, his friend, could lose his job because of this woman, and Reid would do everything he could to prevent that loss. She had a right to be scared.

"May I go now, or is there something else you wanted to discuss with me?", Reid asked, leaning rather heavily on his cane.

"No, you may go. And agent Reid?", Strauss asked while Reid walked to the door.

"Yes ma'am?"

"Give my regards to your family." Reid paused, looking at her in confusion, then walked out the door silently. When he closed the door and turned around, he found the entire team standing in the hallway outside of Strauss' office.

"What are you guys-?", Reid started to ask before getting pulled into a hug from JJ. Reid hugged her back, then saw the tears in Emily and Garcia's eyes, as well as the proud look in Morgan and Rossi's eyes. "Guys?"

"We heard what you said, kid. You nailed it.", Rossi told him.

"But how?", Reid asked, puzzled.

"Strauss' intercom was on, Spence. Everyone in the building heard what you said.", JJ told him, and Reid felt panic strike him. Though, he thought, that did explain the terrified look on Strauss' face. "When we heard your voice, we came running."

"Good job, Boy Genius. You nailed that bitch to the wall.", Garcia commended him, sending Strauss' door an evil glare.

"Everyone _in the building _heard?" Reid's voice may've hit a whole new octave, but he didn't care.

"Yup. Go home, Reid. You deserve it.", Morgan told him, technically being the agent in charge while Hotch was on his personal leave. "Besides, you'll have enough to deal with if this gets back to the higher ups. You'll probably be called in to testify that Strauss was trying to blindside Hotch."

"Oh, I'm pretty sure they'll hear about it." Rossi had that dark gleam in his eye that he got whenever he was going to be particularly ruthless with a suspect and for half a second, everyone sort of pitied Strauss.

"Thanks, Morgan, but will you guys be okay?" Truth be told, his leg was killing him and the adrenaline rush that he caused him to call Strauss out was beginning to fade.

"We don't have a case for today, we'll be fine, Spence. Go on.", JJ told him, pushing him towards where he'd left his coat and satchel bag on a chair outside of Strauss' office.

"Hey Reid?", Morgan called when the young genius walked to the elevator. Reid turned, giving him a questioning look.

"Yeah, Morgan?"

"Gideon would be real proud of what you just did." Despite his mentor leaving, the idea of Gideon being proud of him made the young kid in his glow with pride. Reid smiled and nodded, then walked into the elevator. He took it down to the car park, and as he hobbled over to his car, he saw someone leaning against the hood. When he recognized Hotch, he sent the older SSA a confused smile.

"Hotch? What are you doing here? I thought you were spending time with Jack this week.", Reid asked, meeting the SSAIC when he stepped away from the car.

"I am, I'm picking him up from school later. I came by to drop of a picture Jess gave me.", Hotch replied, and Reid wondered how he could have missed the framed photograph Hotch held in his hands. Haley's wide smile from where she stood next to Hotch on their wedding day nearly leapt off the photograph, and Hotch's own smile was almost blinding. "When I got out of my car though, I heard something interesting over the intercom."

Reid's stomach fell, and he found he had to force himself to meet his superior's eyes. Surprisingly, there was no anger, just mild amusement and gratitude waiting for him there.

"You heard my profile.", Reid surmised.

"I did. Why were you profiling me to Strauss?"

Reid blushed and stammered out a response. "I, uh. Yes, she asked me to write up a psych eval for you, and I may have... lost my temper." Reid winced, but continued his explanation. "I didn't mean to, but you've just gone through hell and she has the- the gall to just sit there and ask me to give her a profile to twist so she can justify firing you? I'm sorry, Hotch. I know she's technically my supervisor so I'll probably end up regretting this before she's through, but I'm loyal to you. You're my boss, you're my friend, and you're best for the BAU, our team, the bureau, m-" Reid stopped himself.

Hotch opened his mouth to respond but Reid flew into panic when he realized that he'd almost told Hotch - his boss - that he was what was best for _him_. While on the outside, the Reid poker face was in full effect, inside he was having a complete meltdown. Reid's mouth started forming words without his say so, and later he would be impressed that he could have a full coherent conversation while inside, he was a mess.

"Reid-"

"Hell. Hotch, the team – I would be dead if not for you, and so would hundreds of other people. If Strauss and the bureau can't see that then-"

"Reid."

"I just can't understand why she's so hellbent on getting rid of you. She's never even been in the field, Hotch! Like she has any kind experience that makes her so much more qualified for her job than you would be-"

"Spencer, breathe!", Hotch insisted, cutting into the genius' speech. Reid did as commanded and breathed, and silence stretched between them until Hotch chuckled. "I heard everything you said, Reid, and I'm grateful. Sticking up for me like that takes a lot of courage, especially since I know how intense Strauss can be when she's determined to be right. Thank you."

"I just told her the truth.", Reid mumbled, smiling through a blush.

"You didn't have to, though, especially since you're up for a promotion to lead profiler if I did get fired." The thought of both being lead profiler and Hotch leaving filled Reid with horror, and it must have showed on his face. Even his poker face wasn't that good.

"Hotch, I don't want that. I said that you are the best at your job, and I stand by that statement."

"I know. What you said about Haley..." Hotch looked like saying that name was a struggle. "How did you know that Haley taught me to laugh?"

"Something she said..." The last thing he wanted was to say the words, 'before Foyet shot her', so he let the sentence go unfinished, despite the part of him that told him his mother would be horrified if she heard him. "Haley said that she wanted you to tell Jack how you used to make her laugh. Also, whenever she came by with Jack, you held your son and for a few minutes, you'd turn into someone who couldn't help but smile. When they left, it was like this wall slid down and you didn't laugh again until whatever case we were working was solved."

"So you made the leap in judgment and concluded that before I met Haley, I didn't laugh because of my father." There was no judgment or scorn in Hotch's tone, just genuine curiosity.

"Was I right?" While making the profile Reid had never considered that he wasn't, and the idea that he was wrong about something so important to his boss terrified him.

Hotch chuckled again, sounding tired but genuinely amused. "You'll make one hell of a lead profiler someday, Reid."

"If I live that long. Judging by my track record with unsubs, I don't think it looks too promising.", Reid joked and, even though it was possibly the most unfunny thing he'd ever said, Hotch smiled.

"We'll, you've got a whole team to keep you alive, so don't go planning any final marches just yet.", Hotch told him. "Where are you headed anyway? The day's barely started."

"Morgan gave me the day off." And was probably about to make Strauss' life very difficult, if the look in Rossi's eye was any indication. There was no way he wouldn't work with Morgan to make Strauss very sorry for attempting to get rid of Hotch. "So, I was thinking of grabbing coffee and heading for home to finish some reading."

A look crossed Hotch's face that Reid had never seen before, and he tensed. "Well, I need to drop this off, but who don't you stick around for a minute? We can go get you coffee, then you can come spend the day with me, Jess and Jack?", Hotch offered.

For a second, Reid just stared. But to be fair, his tough as nails Unit Chief just asked him to spend the day with he, his ex sister in law, and his son. He was allowed to be surprised, considering he hadn't seen this coming. Even to an amateur profiler, the implications weren't that hard to understand.

"But, I thought you were going to spend some quality time with Jack.", Reid wondered. He knew it was entirely platonic on Hotch's end, just a response to Reid sticking his neck out to protect Hotch from Strauss, but the offer made Reid feel like he was walking over Haley's grave.

"Yes, and I just buried my ex wife, and Jess just buried her sister. You really think either of us are in any shape to distract an emotionally distraught four year old? By coming along, you'd give Jack something else to focus on other than Jess and I.", Hotch reasoned, and Reid knew it was true. Even at four, Jack Hotchner was as perceptive as they came. He would know his dad and aunt were in terrible pain just as easily as he'd known Foyet was a bad man, even after playing dinosaurs with him and his mom. Not many four year olds that Reid knew could do that, but like father, like son, Reid supposed.

"I- Are you sure?", Reid asked. He felt like his life had suddenly become Pandora's box, and the next word out of Hotch's mouth would determine if that box stayed locked and safe, or open and suddenly very dangerous.

"I can't promise anything, but after I pick up Jack, I'm going to get Jess and take them both to the park. Have a picnic, play in the park." Show Jack that even though his mom was gone, there was still beauty and life in the world. "Interested in joining us?"

Reid knew he should say no. He was far too close to the situation to be totally objective, and already his mind was spinning with the 'what ifs'. And this was his _boss_. His boss, who was offering to bring him along with his ex sister in law and son on a family expedition to the park. Offering to let him be a part of his son's healing process. He knew he should say no. He knew he should gracefully decline, remind Hotch that he'd just been shot and running around a park with a four year old probably wasn't good for his still healing leg. He knew what he should do. He knew this was so, so wrong.

Reid smiled. "Sounds like a good way to spend an afternoon. I'd love to." The way he saw it, Hotch wouldn't invite him if he wasn't sure. Besides, if nothing else, he was helping a friend. For that, Spencer Reid was okay with being wrong.

**AN: You go, Reid! Writing Hotch in this broke my heart, so I needed to give him something at the end. That's it, guys! I need to get ready to go to dinner at my friend's place, so I must bid you adieu. Consider this my Thanksgiving gift to any Canadians out there. =)**

**I don't know if there's a vid for ReidHotch to this song, but there should be. If I had any talent whatsoever with video editing, I would make one, but sadly, my talents are limited to the written word. And baking, but that's another story.**

**The song lyrics: **

_I know all about,_  
><em>Yea about your reputation<em>  
><em>And now it's bound to be a heartbreak situation<em>  
><em>But I can't help it if I'm helpless<em>  
><em>Every time that I'm where you are<em>  
><em>You walk in and my strength walks out the door<em>  
><em>Say my name and I can't fight it any more<em>  
><em>Oh I know, I should go<em>  
><em>But I need your touch just too damn much<em>

_Loving you, That isn't really something I should do_  
><em>I shouldn't wanna spend my time with you ya<em>  
><em>Well I should try to be strong<em>  
><em>But baby you're the right kind of wrong<em>  
><em>Ya, baby you're the right kind of wrong<em>

_It might be a mistake_  
><em>A mistake I'm makin'<em>  
><em>But what you're giving I am happy to be taking<em>  
><em>Cause no one's ever made me feel<em>  
><em>The way I feel when I'm in your arms<em>

_They say you're somethin I should do without_  
><em>They don't know what goes on<em>  
><em>When the lights go out<em>  
><em>There's no way to explain<em>  
><em>All the pleasure is worth all the pain<em>

_Loving you, That isn't really something I should do ya-hey_  
><em>I shouldn't wanna spend my time with you ya<em>  
><em>Well I should try to be strong<em>  
><em>But baby you're the right kind of wrong<em>  
><em>Ya, baby you're the right kind of wrong<em>

_I should try to run but I just can't seem to_  
><em>'Cause every time I run you're the one I run to<em>  
><em>Can't do without what you do to me,<em>  
><em>I don't care if I'm in to deep yeah<em>

_I know all about,_  
><em>Yea about your reputation<em>  
><em>And now it's bound to be a heartbreak situation<em>  
><em>But I can't help it if I'm helpless<em>  
><em>Every time that I'm where you are<em>

_You walk in and my strength walks out the door_  
><em>Say my name and I can't fight it any more<em>  
><em>Oh I know, I should go<em>  
><em>But I need your touch just too damn much<em>  
><em>Hey-yeah<em>  
><em>Loving you, yeah, isn't really something I should do<em>  
><em>I shouldn't wanna spend my time with you ya<em>  
><em>Well I should try to be strong, I should try to be strong<em>  
><em>But baby you're the right kind of wrong (right kind of wrong)<em>  
><em>Baby you're the right kind of wrong<em>  
><em>Baby you're the right kind of wrong<em>

_Yeah baby you're the the right kind of wrong _

**I'd just like to remind everybody, I own nothing! Songs, characters, everything belong to their respective owners, I am making nothing off of this. I just love them, and wish to share that love with others. =)**

**So, that's it, guys! I hope you enjoyed it! Any comments, questions or concerns, please feel free to let me know. Otherwise, have a fantastic weekend, and I'll see you next time! **

**Much love,  
>Oracle. (L) <strong>


	3. JJReid Friendship My life

**AN: Hey, guys! So, this is the third chapter of 'Lyrics and Brilliant Minds'****. I haven't seen the episodes so I don't know the details, but I have gathered that Reid pretty much tears a strip off JJ during one of the new episodes. That breaks my heart because I love Reid and JJ's dynamic. They're the best of friends and something breaking them apart just kills me, so this is my way of dealing with it. =) **

**I'm about to go through a psych lecture so I have to cut the AN short. I hope you enjoy this, guys, and if you like, give 'My life would suck without you' by Kelly Clarkson (Or Glee, whichever you prefer) while you read this. It's the song that gave me inspiration for this piece. ****I enjoyed writing it, so I hope you enjoy reading it. =)**

**Disclaimer: I own nadda. K? K. Glad we got that dealt with.**

Spencer Reid hadn't been expecting the knock that came at his door late one afternoon, but when he opened the door to find JJ waiting, his poker face slipped into effect. He leaned against the door frame, looking at the blond who'd been his first love, his first kiss, who was the mother of his godson and who had been his best friend since he was twenty five. But that was before Emily died and came back, before JJ and Hotch lied to them all and made them believe a member of their family had died on an operating table. He couldn't look at JJ, much less forgive her. He was in love with Hotch and hadn't even begun to forgive him yet, and the idea of speaking to JJ when he was still so angry seemed like a bad one to the genius. But even still, he remained silent and looked JJ in the eye.

"Spence, can we please talk?", JJ asked, giving him a pleading look. A mean, spiteful little part of himself wanted to ask, 'Oh. So NOW you want to talk? Why? So you can lie to me again?', but he bit his tongue. No matter how angry he was, he still loved her like the sister he never had, and once (if) he got over the anger, she would still be his best friend. He nodded stiffly, then stepped aside to let JJ in. If she wanted to talk, he would let her talk. But he never said he was going to respond.

JJ walked into his living room and the two stood face to face, Reid's hands in his pockets and JJ still wearing her black coat. She crossed her arms over her chest and the profiler in his told him that she was nervous, unsure of herself and trying to physically protect herself from what she perceived as a coming fight. Reid remained passive. He had no intention of fighting with her; she'd come to him, so she could start the conversation.

"I know you're mad at me, Spence." Spencer wanted to scoff; mad was an understatement. He was fuming. She was using her nickname for him, and Reid was content to let the profiler take over while he simply listened. He kept himself blank, and began analyzing. Establishing familiarity, trying to find some way to break down the wall of ice that he'd built up between them after finding out that the love of his life and his best friend had been lying to him, letting him live in pain and remorse after losing a member of the only family he had.

He wished her luck, but even the man of steel himself hadn't been able to break through those walls, and Hotch had tried everything from calm rational to emotional pleading. JJ gave him a desperate look when he didn't reply, then continued talking. "I know you must hate me for what I did, but please, Spence. Please believe me when I tell you that Hotch and I had no other choice. We had to follow our orders, otherwise Strauss would have ruined our team. They'd already taken me away, and Emily was leaving – Hotch and I couldn't just stand by and let them rip our family apart, not when you would need each other so badly."

"I know all of this, and I don't hate you.", Reid told her coolly. He may've been angry beyond words, but the only people he could legitimately say he hated were his father for abandoning he and his mother, and George Foyet for what he'd done to Hotch and Jack. He didn't even hate Tobias Hankel, and he'd almost killed him and ruined his life. JJ winced at the cut in his voice, and he stopped talking.

"Spence, you haven't so much as looked at me since I came back to the team. The only time I get any kind of acknowledgment from you is when we're on a case, or when I come by here with Henry. We don't talk anymore, and Spence, I miss you." That was all true, and it made Reid feel something vaguely reminiscent of guilt. He'd been stonewalling everybody since Emily and JJ came back, trying to keep himself in control so he didn't end up ripping their heads off and profiling them in a way that would shatter a regular person. He understood that it had to have been killing JJ, being without a best friend, but the mean part of Reid reminded him that she had Emily and Garcia. Emily, who she and Hotch had lied to their family for, breaking that sacred trust into pieces.

"I'm -" Reid didn't know what he was right then. Angry, miserable, hurting, broken, guilty, the list went on. All he wanted was to hug his best friend and tell her that everything would be okay, but he honestly didn't know if it would be. He wanted to believe it would be, wanted that more than anything, but every time he looked at Hotch and JJ and Emily, all he felt was anger and betrayal. All he remembered were all the times he collapsed onto JJ's couch in tears because Emily was dead and Hotch was gone and Rossi was always pale and sleep deprived and Derek was constantly going out drinking and partying and Garcia never smiled and JJ wasn't there anymore and their family was broken and everything felt so _wrong_.

"Please, Spence, let me say this, okay?", JJ pleaded. "I know you know all of this and I know we must have explained ourselves a hundred times already, but I have nothing else to offer except an apology and an explanation. I know we broke your trust in us, and I hate Strauss so much for what she and the board made us do, but Hotch and I had to make a choice. We had to protect our family in the only way we could, and we knew there was the chance that we would end up losing that family because of it, but what else could we do?"

"You could have told us." The words were out before Reid could stop them, but oddly enough, he didn't really want to. As far as he was concerned, it was the truth. JJ frowned.

"Spence, we wanted to. Do you know how often I wanted to call you and tell you what happened? How often I saw Hotch give you this look of absolute sadness because you were hurting so much and he couldn't say the one thing that would make it better? He left for Pakistan because he couldn't handle seeing you walking around in silence and Dave looking like a ghost anymore. The guilt was eating him alive, Spencer.", JJ persisted, almost begging him to understand.

Reid knew all of that. He'd seen Hotch get more tightly drawn in, keeping more to himself until the man of steel, who once only smiled around his son and his family, didn't smile at all, and never laughed. He'd seen the alcohol use after shift skyrocket, he'd heard from Jess how she'd been babysitting Jack more and more because Hotch just couldn't handle it. He'd seen Dave try to pull him out of whatever depression had gripped him, but even the senior profiler was left baffled. Spencer didn't even bother trying because it was all he could to keep himself from breaking down every time he saw Garcia wipe tears from her eyes every time she saw Emily's picture hanging in the entryway.

"Do you know how hard Hotch fought to get permission to tell the team? I was there, Spence. He was screaming at Strauss by the end of the meeting, insisting that our team was trustworthy. The last thing in the world he wanted was to lie to you and our team, but he had no choice." Reid knew Hotch had fought to get them let in on it – Hotch had barely kept himself from shaking the young genius when they'd had their blowout, and the only reason he hadn't been yelling was because Jack was right down the hall. He hadn't know about Hotch screaming at Strauss. For half a second, he'd have paid good money to see Strauss' expression at the wrath of Aaron Hotchner.

"Nothing you say can make this better, JJ.", Reid bit out. "Nothing you or Hotch or Emily say can make this better. You and Hotch lied to us for months, and I'm sorry, but I can't forgive that at the drop of a hat. An 'I'm sorry, I promise I won't do it again' isn't going to work this time. I don't even know who you are anymore, JJ! I don't know if I can trust you again."

JJ looked stricken, like he'd just took her world and torn it part right in front of her. He wanted to apologize for saying the words that were clearly hurting her, but he just couldn't. It was the truth.

"Spence, you know me. I'm still the same person you've always known.", JJ promised him, her voice shaking as she spoke.

"No, you see, the JJ I know would never have lied to me. The JJ I know wouldn't have been able to lead me on and let me scream and cry and sleep on her couch because I couldn't handle the thought of being alone with so many people I love gone from my life. The JJ I know wouldn't have deceived me, wouldn't have been able to look me in the eye and tell me that someone I love like my own blood had died on an operating table.", Reid told her, venom in his words. That's what burned the most. When he'd needed her the most, she'd been there, but it had all been a lie. She'd sat there and cried with him and let him cry himself to sleep after Emily died and Hotch left, all while knowing that Emily wasn't dead. She'd watched their family hurt and all but die right in front of her, and had done nothing to help.

"I didn't have a choice, Spencer!", JJ yelled at him, tears spilling down her face. "I wanted to tell you, I hated seeing you in so much pain, but I couldn't! I love you and you were hurting and I – There was nothing I could do without destroying what was left of our family!"

"JJ, I understand that." Reid needed to take a calming breath to try to center himself.

He knew all of this, knew in his heart that if JJ could have, she'd have told him everything. He knew that if Hotch had had a choice, he'd have told their entire team and told Strauss where she could stick her rules. But he couldn't and JJ couldn't and deep down, he understood that. He knew that, logically, there was no reason for him to be angry because, ultimately, there was no blame to be laid anywhere. It had been taken out of their hands the moment Strauss stepped in, and he understood that. However, right then, logic had no place in the mindset of Spencer Reid. He was angry and hurt at the deception he'd suffered under for months, and he knew that it would take time for him to be able to look JJ in the eye, or to forgive Hotch enough to go back and see him without Jack as a buffer.

"Let me be clear. I don't blame you for lying to me, JJ. I hate it and right now, I can barely look at you without getting angry because you are the last person on the face of this Earth that I imagined ever lying to me. I know you didn't have a choice, I know you would have told me the truth if you could have. But that doesn't change the fact that I trusted you and you broke that trust. JJ, I will always love you, but right now, I really don't like you.", Reid explained. "I know it's harsh and mean and possibly cruel, but try to understand where I'm at right now, Jayje. My world just shattered and reformed before my very eyes, and now I have no idea where I stand anymore."

"Spence, I don't blame you for being mad. I would be too, but please, please tell me that there is a chance I can someday earn your trust back.", JJ asked him, and it took the genius a moment to come up with an answer, but he managed to find one.

"Yes. With enough time, our family can heal again.", Reid promised her, offering a slight smile. "Like I said, Jayje. I love you. I love our family. Even though I am upset beyond belief right now, my life would suck without you in it. Just... give it time. Give me time to learn to trust you again." He'd been too filled with a different kind of hurt to say those words to Hotch when they'd argued about this, but he made a mental note to sit the section chief down and tell him the same when he had a chance.

"You can have all the time you want, Spence. I just want my family back, and without you, we're not a family.", JJ told him, tentatively reaching a hand out to grasp Reid's. Even though the genius often loathed physical touch, he gave in and clasped JJ's pale hand.

"We haven't been a family in months, JJ. I want it back just as much as you do, and sooner or later, it'll happen. Just please, promise me that whatever happens, I'll never lose you and that you won't take Henry away from me. I don't think I could... I can't bear the thought of a life without my best friend and my godson.", Reid bargained. That had been his chief fear in the aftermath of Emily's return, that he would lose JJ, and Henry along with her. Garcia had been far more forgiving whereas he'd verbally ripped her to pieces because he didn't know any other way of handling the anger, but whenever JJ needed someone to watch Henry when Will wasn't able to, it was always Reid's door she'd come knocking on.

He found that odd, considering he didn't say more than the bare minimum whenever he saw JJ, but even when he felt like he and JJ were worlds apart, Henry was always available to him. Whenever he wanted to see his godson, he just had to send JJ a text and within minutes, he'd be on his way to JJ and Will's house. Oddly enough, Henry seemed to know that something was wrong with his mom and his godfather and seemed to cry nonstop whenever the two weren't in the same room. After the second time it happened, JJ was constantly present, but Will was forced to act as a wall between them, as well as a relay. It was unfortunate and Reid hated putting the man he saw as his brother in law in such a position, but there was nothing to be done about it.

JJ smiled and looked at him with a look he was familiar with. It was her, 'For a genius, you're pretty ridiculous, Spence' look, and only in that moment did he realize how much he missed that look. "Spence, I would never take Henry away from you. He thinks you hung the moon and the stars. Can I ask you to promise me that you won't ever give up on trying to trust me again? I know I have no right to ask that, but -"

"JJ, stop. You don't even need to ask.", Reid told her. "It'll take time, but we'll find a way through this. We always do don't we?"

For the first time since she'd knocked on his door, a genuine smile formed on JJ's face. "Yeah, we always do. You know I love you, right boy genius?"

"I know. And I love you too, Jayje. I know it's not fixed yet but, can we just... Can we be okay again? I've missed you, and Will's terrible Cajun cooking." Reid winced, scrunching his nose. JJ laughed.

"I think we're as okay as we can be, until things go back to normal. But, speaking of terrible cooking, do you want to come over to our place for a late dinner?" Reid knew it for what it was; an olive branch. Even though Will's cooking could have military weapon possibilities, he smiled.

"I'd love to." Emily was alive again, Garcia had begun to laugh again, Derek hadn't come into work with a hangover in the past week, Hotch was beginning to smile again, Rossi looked like he'd been getting sleep, and he and JJ were speaking again. Their family was still shattered, but for the first time since Hotch and JJ first told them about their lies and the bureau's deceit, Reid felt like there was a chance that they could heal. It was the first time that he'd been able to say honestly that his life didn't make him think using was a preferable alternative to facing the disaster that was his family.

After he put his coat on, JJ took his arm and smiled at him. Unthinking, Reid smiled back. Not a forced smile but an actual smile. And that smile was the best feeling Spencer Reid had been exposed to in a very long while.

**AN: That's it, guys! I hope you liked it, and have a fantastic Monday! As always, any comments, questions or concerns, please do let me know. See you next time!**

**Much love,  
>Oracle. (L) <strong>


	4. EmilyDave Misery

**AN: Hi, guys! So, this is my latest chapter of 'Lyrics and Brilliant Minds', and it's an EmilyRossi with slight ReidHotch because, as we've previously discussed, I'm addicted to both of these couples. I need to get to class and get food, but I wanted to post this for your enjoyment. Some loose inspiration for this came from the song 'Misery', either by Maroon 5 or Glee, whichever you prefer. I love Darren Criss, who sings this song. Omfg. That man is amazing, so if you like, give it a listen while reading this. =) **

**I hope you enjoy this one, guys! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. It's my birthday today (it seriously is. 21! Go me.), so please don't sue me. Everything in here belongs to their respective owners. **

Emily literally felt like she was about to fall asleep on her feet if she didn't sit down sometime in the immediate future. It had been a long case, and from what she could see, she was going to be tired from it for a long while. She and Rossi had just left the office, tired, worn out, and as mentally drained as she could ever remember being. She heard Rossi let out a jaw cracking yawn next to her, and turned with a tired smile.

"You have any plans for the evening?", Emily asked, trying to find some way to keep herself awake until they got their respective cars. Talking seemed a viable option.

"Going home and sleeping. You?", Rossi replied and gave her a tired grin.

"Thinking of grabbing some food. I don't remember when the last time I ate was.", Emily considered. All she'd seen of the world for the last forty six hours (not counting the two hour catnap she'd grabbed on the flight back in from El Paso) were the office and the break room, and she never thought she'd be so happy to go home and see her own bed. Whether or not she'd eaten since finding out that there was a killer in DC was irrelevant once the four dead bodies at the bottom of Potomac were found; they'd been working around the clock and finally managed to nail the unsub. (If anyone noticed the way Hotch had torn in to the unsub to get a confession, no one mentioned it. Everyone knew that he'd been called away from Jack's presentation in school for this case, and he hadn't been happy about it.)

"Good idea. I can't remember the last time I had some form of sustenance other than coffee.", Rossi agreed, and though he looked exhausted, Emily figured that even David Rossi needed to break for food. "Interested in some company?"

"I think I can handle that. What'd you feel like eating?", Emily asked, laughing.

"Food.", was Rossi's prompt reply, and Emily had to bite her tongue to keep from scoffing. That was _such_ a Rossi reply, she should have seen it coming.

"French? Italian? Greek? American? Take your pick.", Emily prodded, grinning at the elder profiler.

"Uh uh. A gentleman always lets the lady pick where they dine." Which was Rossi's smooth way of saying he wasn't making that decision in case it was one she hated. Emily had to admit, the man knew how the game worked, as irritating as it was. She had to laugh; he'd had enough practice.

"I'll remember you said that. Italian it is. There's a restaurant about two blocks from here, so we can go, eat, come back and go home.", Emily planned out. Dave couldn't help but be impressed; give the woman a moment and she could come up with a solid plan of attack, even for something as mundane as getting food.

"Works for me. Thankfully it's a nice night out.", Rossi commented, holding the door open for Emily as they exited the car park.

"It is, though. I thought it would be colder this time of the year.", Emily agreed, pulling up the collar of her coat as the two walked away from the bureau. They saw Hotch's SUV peel out of the garage moments later, and had he not honked at them, they wouldn't have glanced up in time to see both Hotch and Reid in the front of the car. Emily and Dave looked at each other.

"Can I be honest with you about something?", Dave asked, the two standing still.

"Sure." Emily stared after the car, surprise on her face.

"I was beginning to wonder when the hell he was going to say something. Even I was getting sick of them mooning over each other every time they turned around.", Rossi huffed, gently taking Emily's arm and leading her down the sidewalk. Emily looped her arm through Dave's without question, a considering look on her face.

"Which 'he' are you talking about, because they were both pretty obvious.", Emily asked and Rossi laughed, the two walking through the snow on the DC sidewalks.

"True enough, and I was talking about Hotch. He plays the tough guy, but anyone can see that the kid has him wrapped around his finger. When did you figure it out?", Dave asked.

"After the Blue Ridge Strangler case. Reid was practically glowing when he told us about Hotch's performance in court, it didn't take a genius to realize he was head over heels for him.", Emily revealed, and Rossi had to agree. He'd seen the telltale signs and he knew where they led. He just hoped both Hotch and Reid knew what they were doing. Strauss wouldn't hesitate to hand the both of them their heads and a pink slip if she found out they were together, and Dave didn't think even his considerably political clout in the bureau could save them.

"I hope to hell they know what they're doing.", Dave sighed, shaking his head. "Getting involved with a teammate is never a good idea. Believe me, I know from experience."

"You know because you wrote the book on getting involved with teammates.", Emily laughed, playfully nudging him. She couldn't count how many dirty looks she, JJ – who was as good as married to Will - and Garcia – who only had eyes for Morgan and Kevin – received whenever any of the girls were seen with Rossi. It was unbelievable how many people thought that Rossi was sleeping with his female team members, and both JJ and she had made short work of anyone who insinuated it. (Garcia's tech knowledge was legendary, so all she had to do was make an off hand remark about the state of one's credit score and most people shut up.)

"I may not agree with his clubbing, but I do agree wholeheartedly with one of Morgan's principles. Never mess with a woman who carries a gun.", Rossi told her fervently, and Emily could only snicker.

"Uh huh..." Emily sighed, then looked up at the sky as snow began to fall. "God, am I glad that case is over. It's nice to just breathe for a minute without trying to get into the head of a psycho."

"Amen to that.", Dave agreed, the two turning the corner and finding the restaurant. Light was spilling from the arching windows and Dave's stomach started rumbling, signaling that he was more hungry than he let on.

"Jeez. Come on, let's get some food into that thing before it tries to revolt.", Emily joked, leading the veteran profiler into the restaurant. Upon entering, the two took over a booth and sat opposite each other. Silence fell between them as they glanced over the menu, and when Emily let out a laugh, Dave arched his eyebrow and looked at her over the top of his menu.

"Something amuses you?", Dave asked, and Emily shook her head.

"Just laughing at something I was talking with JJ about earlier.", Emily answered, and from the look on Rossi's face, she knew she wasn't getting off that easy. "We were talking about you, actually."

"I thought my ears were burning. Good things?", Dave asked, grinning at her.

"Half the bureau thinks you're sleeping with me, JJ or Garcia. Or all three of us." Emily told him bluntly with a shiver. She loved her team, but some distance had to be kept in order to keep her sanity. Dave's eyebrows rose up to his hairline but he couldn't form a reply. "Yeah, that's what we said when we found out. Apparently, you're quite the dog, Agent Rossi."

"And just who was spreading this slander?", Dave asked. In truth, he didn't mind. He knew he had a reputation, most of which had been blown out of proportion, but he knew he'd done some things that would warrant a reputation. The thought of sleeping with JJ or Garcia made him wince, though. They were both beautiful women but more like daughters or nieces to him; he loved them, would take a bullet for them, but he wouldn't touch them with a ten foot pole. Emily... Emily was another matter that he didn't want to think about when in the company of aforementioned woman.

Emily waved her hand before she responded. "I swore not to reveal my sources. Don't worry, Garcia has already had her way with them. They won't be spreading any more rumors after she's done with them.", Emily promised with a wicked grin. Garcia had ordered a mocha of epic proportion and locked herself in her lair, so Emily knew that soon, the reckoning would come and everybody would know it when it did.

"I'll trust your judgment. And I won't open any emails I get from Garcia for a little while.", Rossi decided. The power the peppy blonde woman wielded was frightening to think of, so Dave chose not to.

"That's probably best. What are you having?", Emily asked, nodding towards his menu.

"Not sure yet. I was thinking-", Dave began, then turned when a woman he recognized walked up to their table with a murderous expression on her face. Dave could have slapped himself. That was what he had forgotten about – The date he meant to cancel when the case came up. Whoops.

"Hello. Can we help you?", Emily asked, seeing the knife sharp glares the unknown woman standing in front of their booth was shooting at Dave. She was about as tall as Emily, with deep brown hair that Emily would bet had been heavily dyed. She looked to be about Rossi's age, but a woman can always spot the signs of plastic surgery, and those signs were like stamps across the stranger's face. She was wearing a pantsuit that reminded Emily of the ones her mom wore, and she had a similar glare.

The woman – Ashlyn Carrowsby, if Dave remembered correctly. - didn't spare her a second look, but the first had been one of utter contempt, so Emily was sort of glad for that. "So. This is why I was stood up, Rossi?", the woman asked, and Emily looked at Dave in confusion. He had to fight the impulse to pinch the bridge of his nose. Why did this always happen to him?

"Ashlyn, was that date t-" Emily kicked him hard under the table and he shut up. Telling the furious woman you'd stood up during a case that you'd forgotten about the date entirely was never a good idea.

Ashlyn's sapphire blue eyes went narrow and her nostrils flared, the action making her face scrunch into something unpleasant. "Yes, it was tonight. Four hours ago, in fact. I assumed a case had come up and you hadn't had time to check your phone. And then, when I'm taking an evening stroll, I find you here, dining with this... woman?" She made that word sound like a curse, and from the look on Emily's face, Dave guessed that she was biting back a few of her own.

"Ashlyn, let me explain. We did have a case.", Dave admitted. While that was true, what he didn't say was that he'd been more concerned with talking to Emily after the case than he was about checking his phone messages. "We just wrapped it up tonight, and I asked my teammate to join me for dinner because I hate to eat alone after getting into the mind of a psychopath who guts people with a straight razor just for kicks."

The image put an uncomfortable expression on Ashlyn's face, and Emily silently applauded Rossi's deflection. With one comment, he'd managed to turn her jealousy – because that's what it was. Emily would recognize the green eyed monster anywhere; she was no stranger to it herself when it came to David Rossi. - away from Emily while simultaneously making the agitator uncomfortable with her own statement. It was skillfully done.

"You could have called me.", Ashlyn argued.

"And I'm sorry I didn't, that was rude of me to leave you hanging like that. I was caught up in the case but I should have called and canceled our plans for the evening. For that, I sincerely apologize." For that, not for having dinner with Emily. He would never apologize for that.

"I accept your apology.", Ashlyn muttered as gracefully as was possible, considering the situation. "Did the case end well at least?"

"We caught him before he killed his next victim. I'd say it ended as well as it could.", Dave answered, saying nothing of the seven victims found before the four in the Potomac. Those demons were for another day.

"I'm glad, your team always does good work." Ashlyn looked as though she was trying to salvage as many points as she possibly could, but from Emily's knowledge of Rossi's face, she wasn't going to get nearly enough to deserve a second chance at a date.

Dave smiled, but didn't respond, and even to someone who didn't know what body language meant, it was obvious that Ashlyn's time had run it's course and that now, it was just getting awkward. Ashlyn coughed, then looked at the two, some faint envy still sparkling in her eyes towards Emily.

"Well, I'll leave you two to your meal. Dave, if you find yourself free in the next while, call me.", Ashlyn requested, and even though she knew it was totally irrational, Emily frowned, a shot of anger rushing through her. Dave was sitting there with another woman (a teammate, as he'd said, but still.), had dismissed her in a way that anyone could understand, and she was still trying her luck? Emily gave her points for persistence, if nothing else.

"We'll see. We've pretty much run out of local cases for the time being, so we'll be doing interstate for the next little while." Translation: Not gonna happen, but thanks for playing. Clearly though, Ashlyn didn't speak Rossi, and just nodded with a slight smile and slipped out of the restaurant.

Emily looked at Dave as he returned his glance to his menu. She blinked. "Dave? What just happened?", Emily asked. She knew that Rossi had just dismissed his date for the evening to have dinner with her after a case, but it felt like she'd missed a whole lot of subtext somewhere between points A and B.

"What'd you mean, Emily?", Dave asked, his brow furrowing as he looked at the menu.

"Who was that woman?", Emily asked.

"Ashlyn Carrowsby. Divorced wife of a senator, she lives here half of the year. We had a date for tonight, as you might have guessed, but I had to back out of it because of the case.", Dave explained casually.

Something in that sentence didn't ring true to Emily, and when it clicked, she had to fight back a grin. Ashlyn Carrowsby wasn't dressed like a woman going out for a late night stroll. She was dressed like a woman going to meet a date with a lot of political clout, and had just been stood up by that date. A date with a man who had the kind of power that only one man she knew besides her father possessed.

"What time was your date supposed to be?", Emily asked, trying to make it sound casual. Dave flinched where he sat, his back going straight.

"Uh, around nine if I'm not mistaken.", Dave hedged, looking at her as though he wasn't sure where she was going with this.

"And what time did JJ bring the case in?", Emily asked, trying a little too hard to seem naive. By this point, it became clear to Rossi what she was doing, but she was having too much fun making him admit that he'd purposely stood up the ex-wife of a senator.

"Ten o'clock yesterday morning." Only David Rossi could admit to standing up a woman a day before the actual date with any kind of grace at all. It was a talent that Emily envied, to be so in control of yourself like that. But right then, she just laughed.

"I see. So, why-"

Emily's question was cut off when her cell phone began to ring. She answered it with a quick, 'Prentiss', hoping it wasn't JJ with bad news. It was worse. So, so much worse.

"Good evening, mother. To what do I owe the honor?"

Dave watched as Emily's expression morphed during the conversation, as one sided as it was. Ambassador Prentiss was a hard woman to argue with, Dave knew, and Emily knew better than to try. However, when the ambassador asked her a question, Emily's fair skin went pale, then she turned harsh eyes on Dave.

"I see. And how do you know senator Carrowsby's ex wife, mother?", Emily asked, and Dave choked on his water. "I see, you played bridge together when we lived overseas. Well, mom, I don't know what to tell you. I was perfectly polite to Ms. Carrowsby, I barely said a word. Of course. Yes, I will pass along your best to Dave, he's sitting right across from me me. … No, Mother... Goodbye, Mother."

Emily hung up the phone and a tense silence followed. Dave decided to man up and take the plunge first. "Why do I get the feeling that your mother's best involves me meeting an untimely demise at the hands of you or her?"

"Probably because she now believes I'm in a stage of post adolescent rebellion against her, and using you to give platform to it.", Emily sighed, putting her cell phone deep into her handbag. "She wanted to know why I saw fit to steal senator Carrowsby's ex-wife's date for the evening because apparently, 'dear Ashlyn' called her in dire straits after seeing the daughter of a 'dear old friend' having dinner with who was supposed to be her date that evening." Emily snorted. "Pit viper... And I hope you realize the torture I'm now going to have to endure because of this. My mother is never going to let this drop, Dave!"

Dave just smirked at her over the top of his menu, and Emily, though she trusted Dave, prepared for the worst. That smirk never meant anything good.

"I'm sorry you have to go through that for my benefit, Emily. Tell you what. You order what you want to eat, I'll pay, we'll get out of here, and I'll make it up to you.", Rossi told her casually with a glint in his eye as he flicked through the menu. It took Emily a moment to process it, but once she did, she felt a blush burn across her face and diverted her eyes away from Rossi's laughing face to her menu.

**AN: Rossi, you dog. I love you. **

**That's it, guys! I hope you enjoyed this little chapter, and I'll see you all next time! Any comments, questions or concerns? As always, feel free to let me know. =) Thanks for reading, and have a fantastic day!**

**Much love,  
>Oracle. (L) <strong>


	5. Declan Because of you

**AN: Hi, everyone! =) **

**This is the newest chapter in 'Lyrics'. Now, I've gotta say, I debated for a while whether or not I should post this as a stand alone one shot in my Declan Prentiss series (OmhiGod, I have a series), or if I should include it in here. Ultimately, I decided to publish it as a chapter because it is, in essence, inspired by a song. It is to be considered, however, canon in the D. Prentiss series. I have, I think, one that goes before this in the series, but I'd always planned to kill off Doyle anyway, so I suppose it all works out in the end. **

**This has been a really rough couple weeks for me, guys, so forgive me if a) I seem a little more reserved than I usually do, and b) if this story depresses you a little bit. I know it sure as hell hit me where it hurts, but I'm dealing with some family drama at the moment (what the actual fuck else is new...), so I suppose a little sensitivity to emotional subject matter is allowed. **

**All I will say is this, and then I will leave you to enjoy this next chapter. (Well, I hope you enjoy it anyway, because I had a blast writing it.) **

**This chapter is dedicated to my best friend, let's call her C though I don't know if she'll ever see this. Even miles away, she manages to be there for me through everything, and I don't think I would be as okay as I am right now without her. Dude, you have been there through everything and you know me better than most people I'm related to do. I can never thank you enough for being the best friend I could have ever asked for, or been lucky enough to find. (L)**

**That's it, guys. This was inspired by, as you may have guessed, Kelly Clarkson's 'Because of you', and I warn you now, there is character death, and by the end of it, you may want to hug Declan. It's okay, I don't blame you. If he'd been sitting next to me when I was typing this, I probably would have hugged him into a coma.**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Criminal Minds, I wouldn't be drowning in life right now. And clearly I'm not an American or an idol (I am Canadian.), so I obviously don't own Kelly Clarkson or any of her material. So, don't bother suing me, k? K.**

Even after having a father such as his, Declan never panicked. He'd gone through twenty years of life without ever once experiencing a panic attack, and thought himself immune to them. Staring through the prison glass, Declan learned as he nearly choked on the anxiety that bubbled up in his chest at the sight of Ian Doyle that he was not immune. He'd run from the hallway and stood outside the building, his hands on his knees and shaking like a leaf. As his heart rate began to slowly return to normal and the fear ebbed away, he cursed himself for losing control. He wasn't a scared thirteen year old kid anymore, he was twenty years old for crying out loud. A scared twenty year old, but a twenty year old nonetheless.

He released a deep breath and stood up straight, his dress pants straightening out as he moved. The young adult looked at the door he'd all but sprinted out of when they brought him in. Him. Ian Doyle. The one face out of the roughly eight billion on the planet that could paralyze him and give him nightmares.

He didn't need to be there, waiting to see his biological father be executed, but there he was. He thought he could handle it, he'd told his mom over and over again that he'd gotten past this, that he could see the execution and finally get some closure over what his father had done. Then he'd seen the face that had haunted him his entire life and felt like he was going to be sick.

It had been a momentary glance, but that was all it took. He looked at the face of the man who'd sired him then tried to kill him, and came to conclusion that they looked almost identical. At twenty, even with the dyed hair and mellowed accent, he was still the living image of Ian Doyle, and Declan Prentiss hated it. He hated it so much, but there was nothing he could do. As much as he hoped and wished, at the end of the day, he was still connected to this man by blood.

When the warden of the penitentiary called his uncle Hotch to tell him that his father was going to be executed by lethal injection that week, Declan had been at school in Tuscany. His mother had called him right away but he was in class at the time (learning about Italian renaissance painters, of all the things). When he heard the message and the tone of her voice, he knew something was wrong.

'Dec, it's mom. Baby, call me when you get this, I don't care what time it is. We need to talk, and you might need to book a flight back home as soon as you can. It's about your father. Talk to you soon, love you.' As soon as he heard the word 'father' – not 'dad', but 'father' – Declan knew. When he called her back, it was ridiculously early in Virginia and he could tell by her voice that she'd been crying.

When he hung up the phone, the twenty year old was stunned. Ian Doyle was going to be put to death by lethal injection for his crimes of terrorism and for the deaths of several police officers and FBI agents, and his last wish had been to see the son he'd tried to kill one last time before he died. The man Declan had spent the better part of his life fearing was going to die, but wanted to see him before he did. A part of him was screaming that he wanted that monster to rot for the rest of his life, but keeping an inmate on death row wasn't cheap for the taxpayers, and his father's victims were screaming for blood so death was the most clean cut option. Declan understood that, but he still felt numb all over.

That night after he'd talked to Ilaria and told her what happened, Declan lay in bed thinking. He still remembered being told that his father wanted him dead. He'd been a child, but that's not something you forget, no matter how good the therapist is. He remembered the women who'd been there before Lauren and how they would vanish. He'd never asked what happened to them, but knowing his father, it was probably best that way. He remembered people coming to the house at all hours of the night, but he never saw or heard them leaving.

He remembered the knives. The big sharp wicked looking things that his father had stashed all over their old house. He remembered picking one up once by the blade tip, and he'd needed seven stitches because it'd torn through his skin like a hot knife through butter. He'd been three at the time, and he still had the scar. He could remember Lauren (Emily) sitting on his old race car bed crying the night before she went away, the memory could still make him shiver. She'd been sitting on his bed, her hand resting gently on his head as he pretended to sleep. He never heard her cry but her silent sobs were shaking his small bed. Whenever he looked back, he wondered why she'd always stay quiet when she cried. She should have known he wouldn't have said anything; he'd have done anything for Lauren. Then, when he got older, he realized that it was as much for his protection as it was for her's.

He remembered all of it, but he never talked about it, and when his mom told him about Doyle's request, assuring him that if he said no, no one would force him to go, he'd said he would be there. He wondered how she was taking this so calmly, and how his dad hadn't flipped out by that point. Then, the night after he flew home, he found out.

Jetlag had hit him like a Mack truck, and when his parents came home at some ungodly hour of the morning from working a case, he'd got out of bed to go greet them; he'd been lying in bed for hours anyway, so why not spend time with his parents? He made it to the landing when he heard the door slam shut and his mom's raised voice, then stood on the stairs in his pajama bottoms and slippers, and listened as his parents yelled at each other. That in itself was a shock; since the day he'd met David Rossi, he'd never heard him yell at his mom, but he was yelling then.

"Emily, absolutely not! I've gone along so far, but I am not subjecting my son to this! Doyle can take his last wish and go rot in hell with it!", Dave roared, and for a split second, Declan wanted to make his presence known. He loved his dad, but Dad or not, no one yelled at Declan Prentiss' mom.

His mom sounded near hysterics, and it made his heart ache. "You think I'm happy about this, Dave? That bastard is using our son to take one last shot at me!", Emily yelled back. Her voice was hoarse and Declan knew she had been crying.

"And you're letting him, Emily! You're giving that sick bastard what he wants!", Dave shot back. "You're right, he's only doing this to hurt you, and you're letting it happen!"

"I don't want to, but Declan is the man's son, Dave! As much as we love him, there is blood between them, not us! The courts see it as an incarcerated father wanting to see his son before he dies!"

"To hell with that!", Dave repeated. "Let the bastard go to hell knowing that his son is out of his reach forever!"

"I would love to, you know that, but it isn't my decision to make! Nothing would be more satisfying than to watch that man die knowing he can never hurt Dec again!" Emily's voice broke. "But I can't make that choice, only Declan can. He's of legal age to make his own choices, and this is one of them. Doyle made it his last wish to see Declan before he died, and the DA knows it. Either way, Declan has to be the one to make that call."

"He tried to kill Declan, Emily! Hell, he damn near succeeded in killing you!"

"I know that, but you know as well as I do that if we use that, the courts will come back and say that he'll be sedated and restrained, therefore safe."

"How many times has he broken out of handcuffs? Declan will never be safe as long as that man is still breathing, Emily! Everyone who's ever met him knows he's deranged!"

"They won't see it like that, Dave!"

"Hotch-"

"Can't do anything, he's already tried every trick he's got. It's Doyle's last wish, and because it's not technically dangerous to anyone, they'll allow it."

"No one except Declan.", Dave muttered.

"I'll be there with him, Dave. If that son of a bitch tries to hurt our son, I'll kill him myself."

"I know you will, Emily, but I don't want either of you near him.", Dave sighed. "I don't know what I'd do if he did anything to you or Dec."

"It's five minutes, Dave. Five minutes, then we're out of there and Doyle's soon out of our lives forever."

"Five minutes is long time, Emily. Doyle's done a lot of damage in a lot less."

"Hotch will be with us, and you, Reid and Morgan will be outside. Trust me, Dave. Everything will be fine." Before, Declan had thought so too, but then he wasn't so sure.

Declan didn't want to see him. He didn't want to acknowledge his existence. He didn't want to see the monster who'd perverted every vow he'd ever sworn as a father, but when his mom and dad came to him the next day and asked him if he was still sure he could go see Doyle, he said yes. He made the decision then, seeing the indecision on his mother's face and the looming anger on his dad's, that he wanted to look into the eyes of the monster who'd stalked and tried to kill his mother at least once before he died. He wanted that monster to die knowing that the son he abandoned would grow into a better man than he'd ever been.

Declan took a deep breath as he stepped towards the door back to the visiting room. He wished Ilaria was there with him. She'd offered, even tried to talk him into bringing her with him, but he'd said no. Doyle was everything that was dirty and wrong and terrifying about his old life; Ilaria, his dad and his mom were parts of the new one he'd been given. It was bad enough that his mom had woken up crying for the past three nights leading up to the execution out of anxiety over seeing him again; Declan didn't want Ilaria to be tainted by his father as well. He didn't want her to have to see the murderer he'd been born from. The idea alone scared them both enough as it was.

Ilaria knew who his father was. Of course she did, she was the brightest girl he knew other than his mom and his aunts. She knew what he'd done, and had rough guesses as to what Declan saw in the nightmares he'd been plagued with since he was seven. She'd known before he'd even found the courage to tell her, and for some unbelievable reason, she still chose to be with him. Her not being there was for the best, but he still wished she was there all the same.

He twisted the door handle and walked back in. Within seconds, his aunt Penny came out of the darkness and put a comforting arm around his shoulders, trying to draw out the fear he felt.

Though the dim lighting, he saw his mom and dad, standing side by side by the door that would lead them to Ian Doyle. His mom was hidden behind her poker face and his dad looked like he'd been carved out of stone, but when they saw him, some of the ice melted away. His mom's arm replaced his aunt's when they joined them, and he was pulled tight against his mom's side. He towered over her, having had a growth spurt at eighteen, but he still felt safe knowing his mom was there.

He looked at his dad and almost cringed at the look he wore. David Rossi had replaced Dad, and there was a trapped, fuming look stamped across that weathered face. Both Dad and David hated his, Declan knew. David hated seeing his colleague so tense, and Dad hated seeing his son go face to face with a psychopath.

As much as David was necessary right now, it was Dad who took over and pulled Declan into an unnecessarily tight hug, saying quietly, "I am so proud of you, kid. Show that son of a bitch the man his son grew in to."

Declan just nodded, then turned to where SSA Hotchner – not uncle Hotch – had joined his mom. He stood behind them and Hotchner lead them into the meeting room where they came face to face with Ian Doyle.

After all the nightmares, all the fear, all the blood, all the death this man had caused everyone he'd ever met, Declan couldn't help but be a little disappointed when he stood looking at Doyle. Even though everyone who knew he and his father said that they were almost identical, Declan had expected him to be bigger. He didn't know what he'd expected exactly – Maybe a man like Frankenstein with arms like small tree trunks, or a face that was so horribly disfigured or so obviously evil that it would be impossible to miss. He hadn't expected this average looking man with the blond hair he'd had until he'd discovered hair dye, and the same eyes that Ilaria often commented on.

This man was an older version of him, and what scared Declan the most was that he looked like a regular guy. There was no obvious malevolence to him, no clear cut flashing neon sign saying, 'Do not feed the deranged psychopath! He will kill you!' anywhere to be found. Other than the three guards that flanked him where he sat, each equipped with a handgun and taser, the steel cuffs that decorated his wrists, neck and ankles, the bright orange jumpsuit and his mom's terse silence before him, he looked completely normal.

When the door clanged shut behind him, it was like the walls of the room closed in around them, and Declan found it suddenly hard to breath as the eyes of Ian Doyle observed him. He shifted in his seat and uncle Hotch – the SSA had vanished for the moment – appeared at Declan's side from out of nowhere. Declan idly wondered, as his mom gripped his arm, how fast uncle Hotch could grab his firearm if push came to shove. He hoped he didn't have to find out.

A smile crept onto Doyle's face and all Declan could think was, 'Huh. There's the evil I was looking for.' Doyle watched them, then laughed slightly. Declan didn't even need to look back to see his mom had become even more tense; Declan himself felt that laugh slide down his spine like nails on a chalk board.

"Brown hair suits you, boy."

Declan froze.

Just like that, every memory he'd spent years trying to forget erupted inside his mind and swamped him. For a split second, he was so afraid he couldn't see straight. He was back in the dark, hiding, jumping at every shadow, scared to be alone in case he heard that voice again.

Behind him, he heard his mom calling him quietly and had to force himself to come back. He was scared, but he wasn't hiding anymore. He took a deep breath and did just as he promised – He looked into the eyes of the psychopath who sired him, and tried to ignore how they looked back. Doyly's eyes watched him, and Declan knew it was both the fear and the defiance that made him laugh.

"What, I'm about to die and I can't get a hug from my only son?", Doyle's heavy accent asked.

"He is not your son.", his mom seethed. "Not anymore." And Declan hadn't realized it until then but he thanked every God he knew of for that fact.

Doyle laughed again, a full out cackle this time, and Declan wanted to claw his own ears off at the sound.

"So, the little FBI bitch has claws after all. It took me killing you to get you to grow a backbone, Lauren?", Doyle asked, sneering at his mother's fake name. Something in Declan heard this monster calling the only consistently good person in his life a bitch, and took that moment to snap.

"Don't you ever call my mother a bitch.", Declan breathed, glaring at him through the eyes they both shared and speaking with an accept he hadn't heard since he was fifteen years old and the Virginian drawl took over.

Doyle looked at him with surprise, and an absurd expression of glee. He chuckled and shook his head then answered, "I killed your mother, boy. Both of them, I guess." He turned his eyes onto his mom. "So it's true then, what the boys are saying in lock up?"

"Is what true?" Agent Hotchner was back.

"That Ambassador Prentiss' darlin' little girl adopted the bastard son of the terrorist who tried to kill her. You always were an odd one, Lauren."

"My mother is Supervisory Special Agent Emily Prentiss.", was all Declan said in reply.

"Come on, boy. You can't lie to your dear old da'. You know you're not her son." For some reason, the words put an angry expression on Doyle's face.

"I would never lie to my dad." To say nothing of the fact that his dad had written every lie in the book, so there was no point when he would know either way. "Emily Prentiss is my mom, and I would thank you to remember that." Doyle's eyes went dark at the twenty year old's challenge.

"You'd thank me! Let me tell you something, you little punk She abandoned you before I ever did! If it hadn't been for her, we'd still be home and a family!", Doyle told him, cold malice in every word. The idea of being a family with this twisted mess of a man made Declan feel sick.

"Then thank God she loved me more than you ever did.", Declan said softly.

Doyle went still, like a cobra getting ready to strike. Declan looked him in the eye again, his dad's words in his ears. He would make his family proud that day by standing up to the demon who'd terrorized him for years.

"She left because she wanted to protect me from you. She didn't abandon me because killing and terrorizing people was more of a joy ride than raising her own son!", Declan told him.

"I left so I could free our country, Declan! I left because-", Doyle yelled, his cuffs clanging against the metal of the table he sat at.

Declan yelled louder. "You left because you cared more about killing people than you did about me! Spare me your patriotism bullshit!"

"You arrogant little-! After everything I did, you-" Not, 'after everything I did for you', Declan noticed. Just what he did for his own purposes.

Declan, who liked to think he'd learned to control his volcanic temper over the years, lost it. "Arrogant? Let me tell you what's arrogant! What's arrogant is abandoning me and then assuming you still had a right to call yourself my father! What's arrogant is thinking you have any right to decide who lives and who dies based on your own twisted logic! What's arrogant is thinking that you're God!", Declan yelled. "You're not God, you're not fate! You're just a twisted old man who hates the world because he can't make it as demented and wrong as he is because of good people like my parents!"

He'd never heard a silence as loud as the one that followed that outburst. Declan froze when he realized what he'd let slip, and paled. His mom's grip on his arm was almost painfully tight, and he was pretty sure he could hear his uncle Morgan cursing from outside the room. Doyle's expression shifted and became filled with cold fury.

"What did you just say to me, boy?"

"My name is Declan Prentiss.", Declan hissed. "Not boy, not lad, not son. Declan Prentiss." He looked at him, and knew he wanted this man to know his name. 'You will know my real name before you die.', he promised himself. 'If it's the last thing you hear before they take your life, you will know my name.'

"That's my blood in your veins, boy.", Doyle told him condescendingly. "Your name doesn't matter, you're still my son. My blood."

"I will be a better man than you ever were.", Declan swore.

"Really." Doyle didn't look convinced. Declan didn't care. Doyle's eyes flicked to his mom and uncle, and he sneered. "So, agent Hotchner. Does the bureau know you're fucking a terrorist's ex?"

Declan sincerely hoped his dad didn't hear that out in the hall or things were about to get very messy. He looked at his mom and uncle, and almost flinched at the expression of outrage on his mom's face. His uncle's was as impassive as ever (His was the only poker face that could beat uncle Spencer's. Declan had seen them play snack poker on the plane out to visit uncle Morgan's mom and sisters; it was pretty impressive, and Doyle was observing the full effect.), but Declan knew that inside, his uncle Hotch was fuming.

Hotch's eyebrow shot up as he looked at Doyle. "Now what makes you think I'm the other parent?", Hotch asked, a cord of steel laced through his words. Declan knew that cord could quickly become a noose around Doyle's neck if he wasn't careful.

"You're in here with them. Doesn't take a genius.", Doyle snorted, and Declan wanted to laugh.

"Clearly." There was amusement in Hotch's eyes as he looked at the terrorist. "I hate to disillusion you, but the only reason I'm in here is because I didn't want Declan's dad to kill you before you got to the injection chamber. The public has been screaming for this for ages, so it would be terribly rude to deprive them of seeing the death of the man who killed so many."

"I'm the boy's father.", Doyle all but snarled.

"I understand that, I've seen the DNA comparisons. However, I didn't say 'father'. I said, 'dad'.", Hotch corrected, and Declan had never wanted to hug his man-of-steel uncle more in his entire life.

"There's no difference.", Doyle scoffed.

"There is a world of difference.", his mom replied. "You tried to kill my son, Doyle. His dad protected us, loved both me and my son, and would die for us because he loves us."

"He is not your son!", Doyle screamed at her, trying to get up from his chair. The guards forced him back down, the Irishman struggling all the way.

"I disagree." Declan turned at that calm voice and saw his dad standing in the doorway with his two uncles. Declan's greeting of 'Dad!' was almost lost under Doyle's snarl of 'Rossi.', but Dave smiled at Declan. Doyle saw the smile and heard the word 'Dad', and his eyes went wide.

"Dave?", Hotch asked, standing between his best friend and the table. He trusted Dave with his life and his son's, but he knew the older profiler's control was somewhat lacking where Emily and Declan were concerned.

"Your five minutes are up. Warden says it's time.", Dave explained calmly.

"You and Lauren are raising my kid, Rossi?" Doyle looked like he was either going to faint or have a psychotic break. Declan sincerely hoped it was the former.

"No.", Dave replied. "Emily and I are raising our son, who is in his third year of university in case you were wondering. You dying took my kid away from his studies, Doyle, and he needs to get back to the books, so if we could just speed this us?"

"Come on, Dec. Let's go.", his mom prodded, putting her arm around Declan's shoulders. Doyle's bound hands began fidgeting where he was being held and stressing the handcuffs against his skin.

Declan looked at his father, a blank expression on his face. "You're going to die tonight, and I'm going to watch it happen. But I want you to know something before I walk out of here."

"And that is?", Doyle asked.

"All my life I've been terrified of you finding me. I've been afraid to leave home in case somehow, someway, you tracked me down. I want you to go to your grave knowing how much I loath you.", Declan explained. "You are everything that's wrong with this world, and when you're gone for good, maybe I can learn to stop waking up in the middle of the night to check every lock in the house to make sure you can't find a way in. Maybe I'll stop sleeping with the lights on so I know when I wake up that I'm not trapped in the dark with you again. Maybe someday, I'll be able to get a place of my own and have a family without being afraid that my girlfriend and I are going to be butchered in our sleep because I'm your biological son. Maybe someday I'll learn to be a normal guy. But even if that day comes, I'll never forget you. I'll never let myself forget you."

"And why's that? Seems you've got a nice shiny new family.", Doyle spat. Declan glared.

"I'll never forget because every day, when I wake up, I'll think of you, of all the terrible things you've done and the people you've hurt. I'll think of you and remind myself why I will take my own life before I ever become like you." His mom's arm tightened around his shoulders. "I may be your blood, but I will be damned before I let that blood destroy everything and everyone I love. I will be dead before I become like you, Ian Doyle. I want you to die knowing that I will live every day of my life being everything you're not, and I hope you scream all the way to hell because of it."

His parents were staring after him, their mouths open in shock as he passed. He breezed by his family without stopping, and walked straight to the viewing room. People slowly filtered in after him, and his dad joined him and stood silently beside him while they watched through the glass as Ian Doyle was lead into the injection chamber and strapped down. Doyle's eyes never left Declan, and when it came time for his last words, Doyle stared Declan right in the eye and said,

"I've said all I need to say. My son is dead. My work is done." The official time of death was three minutes after midnight, Virginia time.

Declan flew back to Tuscany three days later, his family hugging him and waving as he got on the plane. Even though Doyle's dead eyes haunted him in his dreams for weeks after the execution, when he flew back to Tuscany and met Ilaria in the airport, Declan Prentiss was okay. He'd faced down his demons, and for the first time in his life, he felt free.

**AN: Now, as I said, I am Canadian, and I have no idea which states have lethal injection, so if it's wrong, forgive me, but for this, let's just say that Virginia has it. **

**I feel like I'm forgetting something... Ah well. It'll come to me. I hope you guys enjoyed this one, I had so much fun writing it. As always, any comments, questions or concerns, please let me know. =) **

**I'm gonna go get some food, because my tummy is beginning to snarl at me, so until next time, guys! **

**Much love, and thanks for reading!  
>Oracle. (L) <strong>


	6. ReidHotch The Real Thing

**AN: Hey, everybody! How's it going? Good? Good! =) Welcome to another installment of 'Lyrics and Brilliant Minds'. I've been trying to get a start on my MorganGarcia one, but the ideas just aren't coming to me right now. So, I decided to work on this little one, and this is what I came up with! =) I love Reid and Hotch, both together and separate, and I hate Lila. Like, actually hate her. However, it might be the fact that I'm severely pissed off right at this moment (Families; You can't live with them, and you can't grind them into chalk dust. Well, actually you probably could, but I'm pretty sure there are laws against it). In any case, I am not a happy Oracle right now, so I decided to let our boys and girls at the BAU cheer me up. It helped... Kinda. And I was able to create this little number, which always makes me happy. **

**So, the long and the short of it is: Lila comes to DC to see Reid, and Hotch learns that even the greatest men need reassurance from time to time. It was inspired by 'The Real Thing' by Bo Bice, such a good song! Youtube it, it's fantastic. And, before I forget, I have two announcements. **

**1) My CM epic that I've been taunting you with for the past little while (I'm sorry, don't hate me! I was just really nervous about posting it for some stupid reason. I'm all better now though.) has been launched! The story is called, 'Confessions by Coffee', and I just posted the second chapter today. I'm very excited to get to work on it, so if you're ReidHotch inclined, feel free to peruse it and let me know what you think! (However, if you're not ReidHotch inclined, you are more than welcome to check it out. I try to make my writing offer something for everyone.) **

**And 2) I've decided to follow the trend and create a Facebook profile for writers. The account is OraclesShadows Fanfiction. I'll be posting all my stories on there, and it's also a way for writers to connect and bask in the general wonderfulness that is the community. I promise, I don't bite, so feel free to add it. =) **

**I think that's about it... As always, be aware that I own nothing. If I did, Lila would have been hit by a car, Elle and Gideon would have rode off into the sunset together, and Reid and Hotch would be making the censors scream. So clearly, I have no authority there whatsoever. And I clearly don't own Bo Bice or his music. That would be creepy. Enjoy, guys!**

When Lila Archer walked into the BAU office, shiny visitor's pass in hand and a California tan for all to see, Aaron Hotchner knew it wasn't going to be a good day.

The team was having an 'in town' week, and that meant that they would all be buried in paperwork. It should have been a quiet day, filled with coffee with Reid, breaking up tension filled arguments between Dave and Emily, helping Morgan figure his way around being unit chief because, for all intents and purposes, Hotch was still the Go To man for the A team, and looking at the latest pictures of Henry with JJ in his office, interspersed with banter and cookies from Garcia. It was supposed to be a good day. He should have known that something would come along to mess it up.

Hotch saw her when she walked in, all blond hair and bright clothes, and when JJ and Emily noticed her, he saw JJ's surprised expression and Emily's clueless one. Deciding to let them handle it, Hotch returned back to the mountain of paperwork he'd been neglecting. (The board had all but given up expecting to have paperwork from the BAU in on time – Having Rossi as lead profiler pretty much solidified that.) He could hear JJ and Emily chatting with Lila and was content to ignore it until JJ said, loud enough for Hotch to hear her from across the bullpen,

"I think Spence should be in in a few minutes, Lila, so feel free to make yourself at home. I'm sure he'll be happy to see you.", Hotch knew it for exactly what it was worth. JJ was calling him out. The wicked smirk Emily sent him told him much of the same, and he sighed, giving up on any pretension of doing paperwork. He wouldn't be getting anything done today.

Hotch set down his pen and walked to the doorway, finding his best friend David Rossi waiting for him. He held up his hand to silence Dave, who looked at him with an expression that was far too smug for his liking.

"Don't even say it. Yes, I know who's here. No, I can't look the other way if you ask Emily out and tell me about it, and no, I don't care that Reid isn't here yet. He's a grown man, and work doesn't officially start for another fifteen minutes.", Hotch spelled out tiredly, though the last two were lies. If Reid wasn't in the office by five after nine, he'd begin contemplating calling out SWAT and Dave knew that. Dave frowned at him.

"Your kid is right. You're no fun when you're in a bad mood.", Dave told him, the two men walking down to the bullpen. Hotch heard Morgan and Reid arriving, listening to the genius' rant about whatever medium of pop culture Morgan had introduced him to this time, and sighed. He should have known.

"Then I'm about to get a whole lot worse.", Hotch answered quietly when the two men appeared in the bullpen. Even though Lila sent him a blinding smile from where she sat perched on his desk, Reid's eyes instantly scanned the room to land on Hotch, and he sent a smile at the chief. Hotch didn't respond, and when Reid's face fell into a confused expression, he finally noticed the blond woman sitting on his desk and staring at him, then realized that it wasn't JJ.

"Lila?", Reid asked, surprise on his face as he put his coat and bag onto the empty chair beside him. Lila hopped off the desk and looped her arms around the genius' neck, ruffling his hair in the process. Against all his better judgment, Hotch growled. Lila released Reid, looking at him with bright eyes, and Hotch wanted to be sick. "What are you doing here? I didn't know you were in town."

"I thought I would come and surprise you.", Lila answered. "I like the hair style, by the way."

"Uh, thank you. When did you get here?", Reid asked, sounding and looking for all the world like a fish out of water.

"Just this morning. I only have a couple hours, we're starting to film after lunch, but I wanted to come see you first. Do you mind?" Hotch really, really hated the look she gave him at that question, and needed to grind his teeth to keep from saying something JJ and the PR department would have a hell of a time recovering from.

"No, not at all. Let me show you around." Reid was smiling at her, but his eyes flickered to Hotch, concern shining in them. Hotch forced himself to walk back into his office and to stare down his pile of paperwork once again. He closed the door firmly behind him and made the solid decision that he wouldn't be leaving that office until Lila left his bullpen.

What followed were the longest two and a half hours of Aaron Hotchner's life. Those two and a half hours felt longer than his graduation from law school, killed him more than standing at the alter waiting for Haley to walk to him, seemed to drag by more than the hours he'd spent in the delivery room with Haley, and made him more anxious than watching Reid get tortured by Hankel.

He immersed himself in his work, and was so deeply buried in a report from Strauss (did that woman not know the meaning of the term 'Short, sweet and to the point'? He was a lawyer and her technical jargon was making him feel faint.) that he didn't hear the knock at his door. He did, however, feel a set of eyes land on him from the doorway.

Hotch glanced up and saw that his door was still closed, but that Spencer Reid was now leaning against it, his hands in his slack pockets and looking at the SSAIC with a look of fond exasperation. The chief gave the genius a look, and Reid laughed, walking away from the door to take his usual seat across the table from Aaron.

"I was wondering when you'd come up for air. I thought I was going to lose you under all this paperwork.", Reid told him. Hotch couldn't help the smirk, but held up the paperwork in his hand.

"Strauss' latest attempt at making me go blind. I swear, she writes these things with the sole objective of giving me a headache.", Hotch replied, relishing the quiet, natural laugh his words pulled from the genius.

"You could have come out for a break, you know. We wouldn't have told her you decided to get a coffee and rest your eyes for a minute.", Reid promised him jokingly, but Hotch saw the concern reflecting behind the genius' glasses. Hotch shrugged.

"I needed to get it done sooner or later. I figured, now that we have some time in office, I might as well get as much of it done as I can.", Hotch explained. There was no way he was going to tell Reid that he'd more or less taken refuge in his office so he wouldn't need to see Lila's less than subtle attempts to flirt with Reid. (What he did note, however, or rather, what Dave told him via inter office chat messages, was that Reid was damn good at playing oblivious. Apparently, JJ and Emily had needed to walk out of the bullpen more than once so they could laugh without Lila hearing them as she fell hook, line and sinker for Reid's socially inept act.) But there was no need for Reid to know that.

"And so you could avoid Lila, and have a convenient and pertinent excuse on hand.", Reid added casually, and Hotch involuntarily winced. Damn it.

Hotch looked up and saw Reid smirking at him from where he sat, and he suddenly remembered with startling clarity that there was a reason he never bet against Reid. You never try to outcon a Vegas boy.

"How obvious was it?", Hotch asked, knowing he was caught. Reid smiled at him, then picked up a pen from Hotch's desk and twirled it between his fingers as he spoke.

"Not very, but the tick in your jaw was a dead give away, and I'd wager your back is going to be killing you by the end of the day if you keep sitting like that.", Reid explaned, leaning back in his own chair with one of his ankles crossed over his knee. Hotch's eyes kept flicking back to the genius' twirling fingers but he said nothing. Reid's expression softened, and the twirling stopped. "What I don't understand is why. Aaron, what exactly is going on? You know you can tell me."

Hotch wanted to cringe, but kept his face blank. His first name was his one weakness where Reid was concered. (He was always Reid in the office. Spencer wasn't a name Hotch wanted to say inside those walls for fear of how it would effect his control.) He could say no to or deny anything said by anyone if they called him Hotch or Agent Hotchner, but if Reid called him Aaron, he was toast.

"Nothing, Reid.", Hotch told him quietly, willing himself not to look the genius in the eye as he lied to him. A large part of him was beating itself up because he never lied to Spencer or Reid or whoever the genius needed to compartmentalize himself into on any given day, but Hotch could barely admit to _himself_ what was bothering him, let alone to Reid.

The itch that was driving Aaron Hotchner crazy was a nasty little thing called insecurity. Before Lila showed up, Hotch knew where he stood. He knew how he felt about the younger agent, even though it was rarely if ever put into words, and he knew how the young genius felt about him because as great a poker player as Reid was, when it came to Aaron, he wore his heart and emotions on his sleeve. He'd unknowingly lived in a happy bubble for months, thinking that as long as he knew how he felt and how Reid felt about him, it was all he needed and, as far as he knew, all Reid needed.

Lila had taken that belief and shattered it in front of his very eyes. Hotch knew their entire team had seen the hero worship based emotions shining in the actress' eyes towards Reid, and what was more was that he knew Reid could see them. With that knowledge, the foundations of Aaron Hotchner's confidence in his situation with Spencer Reid was shaken. Hotch could never tell anyone flat out how he felt about the younger agent, Strauss would have had his head mounted on her wall in ten seconds flat. Lila, on the other hand, could. Hotch could never be openly affectionate, even if he still knew how to be after everything with Haley and Foyet and the scars he still carried from that, but if Lila fell in love with the young genius (_when_, he said to himself, not _if_. There was no one alive who couldn't fall prey to the presence of Spencer Reid, and anyone who said they could was a liar as far as Hotch was concerned.), she could shout it from the rooftops if she so chose. Hotch could never officially be more than Reid's co-worker and friend, while Lila could be his girlfriend, lover, his wife and no one would bat an eyelash. She could be solid, tangible, real for the genius, while eventually, Hotch would become nothing more than a memory or a dirty little secret. And it was that knowledge that caused the bubbles of insecurity to form in his stomach and make him feel distinctly seasick as he sat in his office chair.

Even if he wasn't completely enamored with the genius (because God, just thinking the word 'love' sent spirals of panic shooting through his entire body), Hotch could never tell the genius what he felt, because he was his boss. So, that left Hotch wondering with an almost hysteric clarity whether or not Reid knew that he had the SSAIC's heart in his hands to do with as he would.

The knowledge that the young genius, who didn't understand pop culture references but could use a geographic profile to track a serial killer all the way down to his postal code, could easily destroy what was left of the organ known as Aaron Hotchner's heart made the man who carried two guns and slept with a third under his pillow feel vulnerable and insecure, two things that Aaron Hotchner hated.

Lila Archer personified everything that was currently making Hotch feel like he was standing on the edge of a very steep drop. She gave a face to the nameless forces that could take away one of the only sources of light left in Hotch's world. She could give Reid everything he deserved, everything that regulation said Hotch couldn't give him – love, affection, recognition, acknowledgement, stability – and she would give them to him without a second thought. The genius just needed to reach out and take the opportunity, and he could have everything he was owed by the universe for dealing him a very bad hand in life. All Reid needed to do was realize it, and he would have every reason in the world to say goodbye to Hotch.

Hotch knew all of this, and for every rumor about him being made of steel, he couldn't face it. He couldn't face watching Lila fawn all over Reid in the bullpen. He couldn't face the idea that this perky blond little slip of a girl who made a living pretending to be other people could steal away one of the most solid pillars of his world, second only to his son. It wasn't that he didn't want to face it – although obviously, there were things he'd rather be thinking about. Getting stabbed by Foyet came to mind. The thought definitely hurt less.- it was that he didn't think he could physically handle it. If he thought about this little actress from California swooping in and carrying off the young genius who'd lit up the lives of everyone around him since he'd walked into the bullpen in Gideon's wake at twenty four years of age, he didn't think he'd be able to contain himself. He would try, but he along with his composure would break, and he knew it.

So, he avoided it. He avoided looking at Lila or hearing her talking to Reid, and that had earned him a few hours to try to get his head back on straight. He glanced up at Reid, who was waiting for an answer, and realized that those hours didn't do him any good, and also that he wouldn't be able to avoid Reid.

"Aaron, please don't make me profile you to get you to talk to me about whatever is bugging you.", Reid pleaded, giving Aaron that wounded puppy look that he both hated and adored. Hotch remained silent, but set the papers down on the table top so his hands were free. Body language was key to getting out of this conversation with his composure, and hopefully his whatever it was with Spencer, in tact. He needed to be as open as possible without giving anything away.

"Spencer, it's nothing. It's just been a bad day.", Hotch sighed, letting his name slip and cursing himself for it as he rubbed his eyes.

"Tell me what happened." Apparently the genius wasn't going to let this one rest. Hotch internally sighed, then looked at Reid. That was a mistake because the young man had such a heart breaking look of fear and unending support in his eyes that Hotch was sure his heart would break right there. He cleared his throat. "Tell me how I can fix this, Aaron."

"Spencer?", Hotch asked, completely baffled as to why Reid was so upset. It was a testament to how worried he was that it took a few moments for his poker face to slip on.

"Aaron, when I got in today, do you know how much anger I saw in your expression? Anger towards me?" Oh. Hotch could have kicked himself.

"Spencer, I'm not mad at you. I could never be mad at you, you know that.", Hotch assured him quickly. "I just had a lot on my mind."

"Then get it off of your mind. Tell me, let me help.", Reid answered, almost begged. Something in the tone of his voice, paired with the expression of heartbreak and fear on the young man's face, made Hotch cave in, and before he could stop himself, the words flew out of his mouth.

"It was Lila. I – I didn't want her here.", Hotch admitted, and the deeply ingrained part of him that was all alpha, a left over from his father, started howling. He was not supposed to be this exposed, he wasn't supposed to be all but baring his throat in submission. But, the rest of him argued, Spencer needed this, and he needed Spencer. If that meant being emotionally stripped bare then so be it.

"You should have said something, I would have told her she couldn't stay.", Reid told him quickly. "If I'd known she was getting in the way-"

"Spencer, stop. That's not why I wanted her to leave.", Hotch interrupted. He knew that if he didn't stop the genius, he would have given him an out, and Hotch knew deep down that he needed to have this conversation, no matter how much he may've wanted to avoid it. The SSAIC pulled in a deep breath and tried to remember every tip he'd ever learned from both Rossi and Haley on the best ways in which to be emotionally vulnerable during a sort-of argument with your significant other. (Dave seemed to think his three failed marriages made him some kind of sage-like 'What not to do' guide to relationships.)

"Then why?"

"Because I..." The words clogged up his throat and he went silent. The words were right there, but for the life of him, he couldn't say them. He kept trying while he watched Spencer's expression shift as his mind worked out the problem before him. When he saw the expression falter and realization break through, Hotch had never been so relieved.

"You were jealous of Lila? Aaron, why?", Reid asked, and Hotch frowned. Not jealous, per say. While he knew that if the genius wanted to be with Lila, he would be as graceful about it as possible, he also knew that if it came down to a competition between he and California Girl, Hotch would turn her into roadkill if it meant getting to keep Spencer as his... whatever they were to each other.

"Not jealous, but... Insecure." The word alone made him want to gag, but he kept talking and hoped that his words didn't sound entirely foolish. "Spencer, you know how Lila feels about you. You know she can give you everything you rightfully deserve. Everything that I can't because of regulations and a thousand other reasons I'm sure we've both thought about into exhaustion. I guess I was just... worried that you would realize..." That she was the better option no matter how you looked at it.

Reid's face clouded as he looked at the SSAIC, and then he said quietly, "Aaron, you thought I would leave you for Lila?" Hotch couldn't read the emotion infused in his voice, and that scared him more than he would have liked to admit.

"Spencer, Lila can give you a normal life, a normal family. I just worried that-"

"Aaron, I already have a family.", Reid cut in. "_Our _family. Jack and our team. That is my family, and nothing Lila could ever give me could mean as much to me as this does. As you do."

"You could have a normal life with her, Spencer. No more psychos, no more long hours, no more unforgettable memories of sick people hurting others.", Aaron argued. "You could have a quiet life without nightmares. I know that, you know that, and we both know that there are few things you wish for more than that. We both know that Lila can give you that."

"And if you think I would trade a life with you for a life without nightmares, you're insane.", Reid told him calmly. The genius stood up from his chair and pressed a kiss to Hotch's forehead then looked the older man in the eye.

For that moment, Hotch didn't care that the blinds to his office were up so everyone in the bullpen could have seen that kiss, such as it was. He just stared back at Spencer.

"I know how Lila thinks she feels about me, Aaron, and I'm flattered, but I think we both know that once she had me, she'd realize the hero worship isn't worth all the the baggage I come with.", Reid explained, his hands on Hotch's shoulders. "I know you were thinking of what was best for me, and I love you for it, Aaron, but I know what's best for me. And this place, this job, this family is what's best for me."

"But, Spencer. I know you have nightmares, being here will only give you more. Lila could give you a way out." Hotch was grasping at straws, trying to find a way to justify his train of thought verbally and failing miserably. Reid just smiled where he stood.

"I already have a way out. I have you to keep the nightmares away, don't I?" God, yes he did. Hotch would do anything in the world to keep the images and the fear away, but there were some things even he couldn't fight against. Hotch opened his mouth to say just that, but Reid started talking again. "Nightmares or no nightmares, being here with you is what I want, and nothing Lila could ever offer me could be worth giving that up."

"I just thought-" A quick kiss silenced that sentence, and Reid smiled at him before standing up straight and taking a step away from the table.

"I know." Spencer always knew. "Vegas and DC are the only homes I have, Hotch. California will never be an option, and neither will Lila. I think of her as a friend, but I don't love her. So stop thinking that you're somehow the lesser option for me, Aaron, that I'm somehow depriving myself of a life I could have by choosing to be with you. I promise you, Lila could offer me the world and it would never be equal to having dinner with you and Jack."

"They can never know about us, Spencer. Aren't you tired of lying?", Hotch asked, because if he was being honest, he sure as hell was. Reid just laughed.

"I'm not lying to anyone, Aaron. The others do know, they just know not to ask. And if they did ask, I would tell them the same truth I told my mom."

"Spencer?" Now Hotch was seriously confused. Reid pressed another kiss to his forehead, then walked to the door.

"I would tell them that I fell in love, and that I'm happy. They love me, Aaron, and they love us. As long as we're happy, that's all they need to know." Reid slipped out the door without another word, and Hotch just smiled and picked up the still warm pen. There were times, he mused, when he realized that Spencer Reid knew more about life than he ever would. And although he was older, he was okay with that, because he'd always have Spencer there to tell him the details he missed.

**AN: Aww. I just wanted to hug Hotch. But then again, I always want to hug Hotch, so really, no change there. What'd you think, guys? I liked it, but I'm biased. =) Any comments, questions or concerns? Let me know, and thank you so much for reading! You guys rock my world on a daily basis, so I hope I don't disappoint. =) **

**Much love,  
>Oracle. (L)<strong>

**PS: If you're into hilarious commentary on video games, go to Youtube right now and search for WhereDaBootz. He is hysterical, I'm actually dying of laughter from his Amnesia walk through. Seriously. Made my night. =D **


	7. ReidHotch Reid's Song

**AN: Hey guys! I'm not dead! I wanted to post this because I thought it was a cute one shot. =) **

**Update on the USB/ Data Loss/ My Life Ending with an Error Message front: It's in the hands of the professionals now, but I'm hoping (fingers, toes, and everything else crossed) that the data can be recovered and I can get back to writing Confessions. It'll cost me a pretty penny, but I am determined to get that data back. So, here's hoping!**

**I don't know what else to say, guys. It's a song fic, and there's Taylor Swift involved (I know, I know. I'm judging me too, but I do enjoy some of her music.). Regardless of your musical preference, I hope you enjoy it. =) I honestly haven't abandoned these, but with all the data issues and work and school, my writing has been put on the backburner. =( I have some free time coming up soon though, so I can start writing again! =D **

**I hope you like this one, guys. I'm going to get back to writing my OC/ A Song of Ice and Fire fanfic now because apparently, that's what my brain wants me to focus on right now, and who am I to argue? =P So, I hope you enjoyed this latest addition to Lyrics, and I will see you next time!**

**Disclaimer: Anything and everything you recognize (even references to other shows) are property of their respective owners. I own NOTHING, so please don't sue me?**

Spencer Reid was not having a good day. He threw his messenger back onto the floor of his and Hotch's living room, then sat down in a heap on the faded brown couch. It was only ten o'clock on a Friday night, and he felt like he was perfectly capable of sleeping straight through to Monday morning.

The BAU had been a battle ground that day, one that Reid had been caught in since the moment he'd stepped in the office after getting off the phone with Aaron. He'd needed to referee an argument between Rossi and Prentiss about whether or not to let the family of a missing girl view a recently uncovered and still unidentified body; Garcia and Morgan had been cold to each other the entire day (Reid wasn't sure why; all JJ would say about it was that they'd had an argument and that it was their business.); and JJ had had an argument with Will which left her in a bad mood the rest of the day. And to top it all off, he'd gotten home just in time to catch Jack's phone call reminder that he was staying at his aunt Jess' for the night to work on a project for Aaron's birthday with his aunt and cousins.

The young genius sighed, sitting back against the soft brown couch. Jack was gone and Aaron was in New York for a conference, so the house was his for once. Usually he relished time to himself, since he was still getting used to living with not one but two Hotchner men, but after the day he'd had, he was hating it.

Reid flipped through the satellite channels for the fourth time, hoping something would spark his interest. He sighed again. Everything was either insipid bullshit or re runs that he'd either seen fifty times before or he and Aaron owned on DVD. He shut the television off and tossed the remote under the throw pillows to his left.

'They have an entire conference of SSAICs, why did they need Aaron there so badly?', Reid thought moodily. Logically he knew why Aaron was there; he was the representative from the A team of the FBI BAU. Morgan probably could have gone, having experience as SSAIC, but he didn't have quite the connections Hotch did from his time so it just made sense to send the older man.

Logically, he knew that being annoyed achieved no real purpose, but right then, Reid didn't care. He huffed in annoyance, tossing his head back onto the couch. The silence of the house all but pressed down on him, and Reid wondered if it would be worth it to put on some music and wander around the house. (There was no cleaning to be done, he'd already checked. It was like even the dust knew its place in the home of the Hotchners – Anywhere else, or heaven help you when Aaron saw you.)

Normally, he could handle time away from Aaron, but he normally had decent days at work, JJ normally wasn't annoyed so he had her to talk to, and he normally had Jack to keep him busy when he got home so he didn't quite notice the older SSA's absence. That was not the case this time around – Jack was gone and JJ was in a really bad mood and he just wanted to climb into bed and sleep the rest of the weekend away.

He sat in silence, listening to the clock ticking in the living room, then sighed. His frustration was almost comical; he was a genius, he had the Internet, he and Aaron had over five hundred channels on their satellite, and he was still bored silly. Reid tried to think of something to do to keep his mind occupied and alleviate the boredom, but for every possibility he came up with, his mind reminded him of something he and Aaron planned to do that somehow linked back to it. He managed to think of a couple – most of which was reading – but the list was pathetically short.

Before he began seriously considering flying out to New York to surprise Hotch, Reid's computer beeped, signalling an email. He bounced up from the couch, eager for a distraction and hoping it was a once in a blue moon check in email from Gideon. He was pleasantly surprised when he saw Hotch's email as the sender.

He clicked open the email and was met with a video message. Frowning to himself and checking that the anti virus software on the computer was up to date, just in case, Reid then clicked on the video. A window appeared and when the video played, Reid realized it was a webcam video from Hotch's computer. The SSA looked tired, but was still wearing his suit and tie, and Reid noticed his watch was unclasped on his wrist. When Hotch smiled, Reid couldn't get the stupid grin off of his face if he wanted to.

"Spencer.", Hotch greeted, and Reid snorted. That was so _Aaron_. "You weren't answering your phone, so I called JJ. She told me about her fight with Will and you getting caught between Rossi and Prentiss' argument today. I'm sorry your day was so rough, Spencer, and that I wasn't there." Reid just rolled his eyes. He wouldn't be surprised if one day, Hotch said that him not being there was the reason there was no air in space. "You're probably in a bad mood, and with Jack gone to Jess' for the night, you're going to be alone in a big house. I wish I wasn't at this conference, but I'll be home soon and I'll tell you all about it. I can't make this a long video, I've got to be at another presentation in a few minutes, but I wanted to remind you that Jack is going to be home first thing tomorrow. Make sure he takes his vitamins, he's still getting over a cold and I'm sure neither of us wants to deal with a relapse." Reid agreed; the only one who was more over dramatic when sick than Jack Hotchner was his dad. "I've got to finish getting ready, but I've included a link at the bottom of this email. I think you'll enjoy it. I love you, and I hope tomorrow is a better day."

The video went black and Reid chuckled to himself. "Aw. The big softie was worried about me.", he mused, deeply touched. Even in another city, Hotch had managed to cheer him up. Once again, he thanked a God he wasn't sure he believed in for finding Aaron Hotchner.

Clicking on the link, a music video appeared in his browser. Reid waited a moment, then groaned when he saw it was a Taylor Swift song. He was tempted to exit out of the screen – modern music had never been, and probably never would be, his media of choice – but he stayed and listened, trusting Aaron's judgement.

By the end of the song, Reid was smiling for the first time since saying goodbye to Hotch the morning before. When Jess dropped Jack off the next morning, they found Reid flicking through a book on the front porch, the song playing on repeat on the laptop next to him. Jack was confused, but Jess just smiled and told him that he'd understand when he was older.

And when Reid woke up Monday morning to a kiss on his temple and the smiling face of Aaron Hotchner, the sound of Taylor Swift vanished, only to be replaced by Hotch's voice telling him about the conference. Reid had just leaned back in bed and listened to the stories Hotch brought back, thinking that Taylor could have her screen doors. As long as Hotch kept coming home to him, his voice was the only song Reid needed to hear.

**AN: ... I think this gave me a tooth ache. XD **

**That's it, guys. Like I said, short, sweet, and to the point. I hope you enjoyed it. =) Questions, comments or concerns? Lemme know. If anything new happens in regards to the USB/ Data crisis, I will let you fine people know. =) **

**Much love, and thank you for reading!  
>Oracle. (L)<strong>

**PS: Anyone who can spot the Gundam Wing reference/ quote in this is my favorite person of the day.**

**PPS: If you're interested at all in Youtube artists with real talent, go right now and search for Boyce Avenue's cover of The Callings, 'Wherever you will go'. I've had that on repeat for the last... four hours now. So. Good. I love them. **


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